↑

Savoring Today

Clean eating recipes and meal prep for busy families.

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
      • Party Foods
    • Baking
      • Bread
      • Cookies
      • Sprouted Grain
    • Breakfast
    • Beverages
    • Cuisines
      • Asian / Chinese / Thai
      • French
      • Italian
      • Mexican
    • Dessert
      • Chocolate
    • Fruit & Vegetables
    • Grilling
    • Health Related Articles
    • Main Courses
      • Pasta
    • Meat
      • Beef
      • Chicken & Poultry
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Pork & Lamb
    • Salads
      • Sauces & Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups / Stews
    • Specialty Diets
      • Gluten Free
      • Grain Free
      • Keto Diet Foods
      • Lower Carb Favorites
      • Paleo Diet Foods
    • Seasonal
      • Celebrations
      • Christmas
      • Easter
  • Meal Prep
  • FREE TOOLS
    • Collections & Meal Plans
    • Free Printables
  • About
    • Food Philosophy
    • Contact
    • Copyright

Home » Gluten Free » Pesto, Chicken, Caramelized Onion & Fennel Pizza

Pesto, Chicken, Caramelized Onion & Fennel Pizza

Published July 26, 2012. Last updated February 16, 2019 by Judy Purcell 18 Comments

Savor and Share!

  • Share
  • Inspire
  • Send
See Recipe Print Recipe

Pesto, Chicken, Caramelized Onion & Fennel Pizza

Pesto, Chicken, Caramelized Onion & Fennel Pizza features caramelized sweet onions and fennel resting like a golden crown atop grilled chicken and fresh mozzarella. If a recipe were a sentence, caramelized onions and fennel are a sweet-savory punctuation of flavor worth every slow-simmered minute.

Departing from traditional tomato based pizza sauce we take advantage of peak season basil to create a pesto sauce to form the base for everything else.

Roasted red peppers bring a splash of color and mild smoky-sweetness so well paired with the onion and fennel the trio is sure to show up again soon in Focaccia, or as soup garnishes and sandwich toppers.

Any favorite crust would be suitable, but we decided to highlight a second gluten-free option for those seeking a crust experience more like regular pizza crust. As I mentioned in the earlier post, Cauliflower-Mozzarella Pizza Crust is certainly delicious, but it does not have the same bread texture most are used to with pizza.

This Gluten-Free Pizza Crust recipe is easy to make and the texture like familiar bread pizza dough.

The recipes include instructions to create the pizza entirely from scratch. However, in the recipe notes I mention how easy it is to cut corners by using jarred basil pesto, roasted red peppers, and pre-made grilled chicken. 

In case you missed any part of the series, here is a summary of the various sauces, toppings, and crusts featured:

BBQ Chicken Pizza—Tomato-BBQ sauce base, grilled chicken, bacon, Jack cheese, fresh red onion and cilantro on a hand-tossed sprouted wheat crust.
Italian Sausage, Prosciutto, Peperoncini, & Smoked Cheddar Pizza—Whole stewed San Marzano tomatoes crushed by hand, Italian sausage, prosciutto, peperoncinis, mozzarella, English smoked cheddar, and Romano on sprouted wheat crust.
Fig, Chevre, & Arugula Pizza—Dalmatia® Fig Spread, soft goat cheese, lots of fresh herbs, arugula leaves, and grape tomatoes finished with a drizzle of aged balsamic on an extra thin sprouted wheat crust.
Top to Bottom Vegetable Pizza—Homemade San Marzano pizza sauce, sautéed mushrooms with garlic, zucchini, artichoke hearts, red bell pepper, fresh herbs, mozzarella, and Romano cheese on a Cauliflower-Mozzarella crust.
Pesto, Chicken, Caramelized Onion & Fennel Pizza on Gluten-Free Crust—Shown below.

Print Recipe PIN Recipe SaveSaved!

Pesto, Chicken, Caramelized Onion & Fennel Pizza

Gluten-free pizza with pesto, chicken, caramelized onions and fennel toppings.
Prep Time1 hour hr
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Course: Main Dish, Pizza
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: Judy Purcell
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet onion , sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 1 large fennel bulb , sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 2 cloves garlic , sliced thin
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee , plus more to drizzle on chicken
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast , grilled then sliced
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Red pepper flakes , optional
  • 1 medium red bell pepper , roasted and sliced
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto sauce
  • 12 ounces fresh mozzarella , sliced 1/4" thick
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Start the onions and fennel: Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until oil covers the pan evenly and is hot. Add the sliced onions and fennel and stir enough to coat with the oil. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until onions and fennel begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
  • Season with salt and spread onions and fennel evenly over bottom of skillet, reduce heat to low. Allow to gently caramelize for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure they brown evenly. Stir sliced garlic into onions and fennel; continue to cook on low for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Onions and fennel should be golden brown when done. Remove from heat and allow to cool in pan.

While the onions and fennel are caramelizing:

  • Pound the thickest part of the chicken breast with a mallet or heavy rolling pin to even out the meat. Season with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional), on both sides. Drizzle with olive oil to lightly coat. Grill over medium-low heat on a gas grill for 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, or until the chicken registers 160°F on an instant read meat thermometer. Once done, transfer chicken to cutting board, let rest, tented with foil, 5 minutes, then slice. For this application, it is okay to cook the chicken a little under-done since it will be sliced and then baked in the oven on the pizza.

Roasting Peppers:

  • Cut pepper in half and remove stem and seeds. Lay pepper on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side up. Roast red pepper, skin side up, under a broiler until skin blisters and is blackened in spots. Remove from oven and place pepper in a sealed plastic bag to cool--the steam in the bag will make it easier to remove the skin. Once the pepper has cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and slice.
  • Layer pesto, mozzarella, sliced chicken, caramelized onions and fennel, and red peppers on prepared crust and bake for 10-15 minutes in a 450° oven. Allow to rest for a few minutes after removing from the oven before slicing.

Notes

Makes (1) 12-inch pizza.
This pizza can be made entirely from scratch or put together quickly using jarred pesto, roasted red peppers, and pre-made grilled chicken breast. The crust does tend to stick to the pan, so it is ideal to line the pan with parchment paper, which the pizza slides off of beautifully when transferring to a cutting board.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 521mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1070IU | Vitamin C: 33.4mg | Calcium: 320mg | Iron: 0.9mg
Learn how to make this and all recipes even easier!Check out our Monthly Meal Prep System!

 

Print Recipe PIN Recipe SaveSaved!

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Gluten-free pizza crust soft in the center and crisp on the edges.
Servings: 6
Author: Judy Purcell
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1 package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 3/4 cup warm whole milk (100° to 110°)
  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Arrange oven racks so that one is in the lowest setting and one is in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  • Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm milk in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes.
  • In a food processor or a large bowl, mix brown rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, Italian seasoning, garlic, and salt until well combined. With the processor running, pour yeast mixture, olive oil, and vinegar through the chute and process until it forms a soft ball of dough, about 30 seconds. If mixing by hand, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the mixture begins to clean the sides of the bowl and forms a soft, yet sticky ball of dough.
  • Brush a non-stick pizza pan with olive oil or line pan with parchment paper (parchment paper works best). Place dough in the middle of the pan, and with oiled or wet hands, press into shape, crimping edges to form a rimmed edge. Set aside and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
  • Place on the lower rack and bake for 8-10 minutes until dough is set and just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and brush edges of crust with olive oil.
  • Top as desired and return to middle rack of oven and back for 10-15 minutes.

Notes

Makes (1) 12-inch pizza.

Nutrition

Serving: 3Serves 3 | Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 127mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Learn how to make this and all recipes even easier!Check out our Monthly Meal Prep System!

Pesto, Chicken, Caramelized Onion & Fennel Pizza – Sliced to Serve

Savor and Share!

  • Share
  • Inspire
  • Send

Filed Under: Cheese, Chicken & Poultry, Gluten Free, Pizza, Recipes Tagged With: caramelized onion, Caramelized Onion & Fennel Pizza, Chicken, Five Pies in Five Days, food, gluten-free pizza crust, grilled chicken, pesto, pesto-chicken pizza, pizza, recipes

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rating




  1. Lorena says

    May 3, 2019 at 8:04 am

    5 stars
    Caramelized onions are always a yes for me!

    Reply
  2. A Canadian Foodie says

    November 25, 2012 at 11:12 pm

    What a gorgeous looking pizza!!! I am all over this one! YUMMERS! … and 5 anything in 5 days, I bow to you!
    🙂
    Valerie

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      November 26, 2012 at 6:01 am

      Hi Valerie,
      Thank you for stopping by and commenting — I always enjoy finding new blogs and yours was lovely to browse this morning as I sipped my coffee. 🙂 Thank you for your kind words too, have a blessed week!

      Reply
  3. April @ The 21st Century Housewife says

    August 13, 2012 at 5:13 am

    What a gorgeous combination of toppings! Your pizza looks and sounds so good, it’s making my mouth water! Your gluten free crust looks great too.

    Reply
  4. Amy (Savory Moments) says

    August 2, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    Mmmmmmm this pizza looks great. I love the addition of fennel – it’s such a nice flavor and would be unique on a pizza.

    Reply
  5. ChgoJohn says

    July 31, 2012 at 11:21 pm

    OK … I was away and came back to find 2 incredible pizza recipes. I thought the last one with it’s cauliflower crust was good. This one here is even better! Unbelievable!

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      August 1, 2012 at 7:28 am

      Thanks John, glad I could welcome you back with a slice or two. Felt good to get the series done. 🙂

      Reply
  6. -h (@taste-buds) says

    July 31, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    Those flavours look like they’d work perfectly together. Your crust also looks amazing.

    -h

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      August 1, 2012 at 7:25 am

      Thanks for stopping by and saying so!

      Reply
  7. Raymund says

    July 30, 2012 at 2:00 am

    This would be my favourite in your pizza series, love the toppings in that pizza. You made me so hungry!

    Reply
  8. mjskit says

    July 28, 2012 at 8:30 pm

    You make the greatest pizzas and I LOVE your crusts!!! Pesto is actually my favorite pizza base, much better than tomato sauce in my book. Love, love, love the caramelized onion and fennel. This pizza will definitely be gracing our grill very soon! Great series!

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      July 29, 2012 at 8:36 am

      Thank you, MJ, it was a fun series to do. I agree, pesto is quite the competition for tomato sauce on pizza, hard to resist!

      Reply
  9. Jed Gray (sportsglutton) says

    July 27, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    Of course I love everything about this pizza Judy and it just adds to the perfection of the the series. Any chance there are some leftover lingering around?? 😉

    Have a great weekend!

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      July 29, 2012 at 8:34 am

      Thanks Jed, and thanks for stopping by for each one. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Linda says

    July 27, 2012 at 7:57 am

    Carmelized onions and fennel is my favorite combination! Every Friday I’ve made a pizza, now just for my son and I but even if he’s not around, I still go ahead and make one just for the levtovers! I don’t think I could pick just one favorite from your listing, they all sound fabulous to me!! Judy, you truly describe these pizzas so perfectly, I could imagine the taste as I was reading along!

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      July 29, 2012 at 8:32 am

      Ah, leftover pizza! It does inspire making one just for that purpose … a lot like turkey at Thanksgiving, just something about a turkey sandwich that makes the whole mess worth it. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Maureen @ Orgasmic Chef says

    July 26, 2012 at 10:55 pm

    This one wins for me!! 🙂 yum

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      July 29, 2012 at 8:29 am

      Thanks Maureen, for hanging in there with me through all of them–I agree, this one sure is tough to beat. 🙂

      Reply
Judy from Savoring Today

Hi, I'm Judy

I'm delighted you're here to savor healthy, clean eating recipes and cooking tips.

If you avoid processed foods and love serving your family nourishing meals, we are passionate about the same things. Read More

Subscribe for recipe updates

AND Get our clean eating quick start guide!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

The Latest

avocado crema in a light grey bowl with a spoon on a towel

Avocado Crema with Yogurt

salsa with mango and pineapple in a bowl by chips

Mango Pineapple Salsa

pork tacos lined up with mango salsa on the side

Grilled Al Pastor Style Pulled Pork

roasted sweet potates on whipped ricotta with tomatoes and olives on a tan plate beside casserole dishes

Chili Crunch Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Savory ricotta feta dip in a white bowl with bread on a counter ready to serve

Savory Whipped Ricotta and Feta Dip

A bowl of yogurt with a spoonful held above it.

Greek Yogurt: Thick, velvety 2 ingredient recipe!

Fan Favorites

Tri-Tip roast sliced and fanned out on a white platter with grilled baby leeks.

Grilled Tri-Tip Roast Recipe for a Charcoal or Gas Grill

An easy, 30-Min date night meal that brings the WOW without all the fuss of crowded restaurants.

Scampi-Style Steak & Scallops with Roasted Asparagus

crab legs on a white platter with drawn butter

Best Way to Cook Crab Legs

Cheeses and charcuterie on a table

7 Tips for Hosting a Wine & Cheese Party

Ghirardelli Brownie Cookies: Soft Centers and Chewy Edges

Categories

DisclosurePrivacyCopyright

Fan Favorites

  • Grilled Tri-Tip Roast Recipe for a Charcoal or Gas Grill
  • Ghirardelli Brownie Cookies: Soft Centers and Chewy Edges
  • Best Way to Cook Crab Legs
  • Scampi-Style Steak & Scallops with Roasted Asparagus
Clean eating recipes and cooking courses for busy families. Savoring Today LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
©2025, Savoring Today. All Rights Reserved. Site by Pixel Me Designs
  • Home
  • Contact
  • SHOP
  • Recipes