Greek Chi-Za

Have you ever tried pizza with a ground beef or poultry for the crust? If you’re anything like me you LOVE a good pizza. Great toppings, nice balance of flavors and of course, a solid cheese pull. But of course, pizza is not the healthiest option on the menu. I am a firm believer that a traditional homemade pizza is eons less greasy and allows you to control the type of preservatives, or lack thereof, in the crust. You’re also looking at double the protein and half the carbs!

To inch pizza even a little bit closer to achieving the healthy label, I would like to present the meat-za, or in this case Chi-Za! I used ground chicken for the crust. In the past I have experimented with beef and ground turkey could also be used. Something to keep in mind when choosing your protein is the level of fat that will cook out of the meat. The leaner options are not only healthier, but also less messy when it comes to the flip process of the crust. If you use a fattier meat, more grease will cook out. Regardless of your protein choice, you will need to dab excess moisture away with paper towels before flipping the crust. You will see what I mean when I give the run down on how to put this masterpiece together. Once you mix the protein and cook it for ten minutes on parchment paper at 450 degrees, you’ll flip that baby over before you add your toppings!
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You can make this chi-za ANYWAY you want! Literally the possibilities are endless! We actually made another variation just a few nights prior with red pepper, olives, mushrooms and smoked gouda. YUM! 

​But, for the Greek version let’s discuss – so we started with a very thin layer of tzatziki made with Greek yogurt, garlic powder, dill and a little dash of Aleppo pepper! Then, add feta, sliced black olives, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, green onions and dill pickles!
 

The crust holds together so well you can eat it like a regular slice of pizza!

​Recipe & Ingredients
 
1.5-2lbs ground chicken
1 t minced garlic
1 egg
1 t salt & pepper
2 T parmigiana
 
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine all ingredients and shape on parchment paper over a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and dab excess juices with paper towels. Then, carefully flip crust directly onto the pan. Add thin layer of tzatziki, feta, sliced olives & tomatoes. Put back in oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking. Add your sliced green onions, romaine and a dollop of tzatziki. Time to enjoy!