Butter Chicken Pizza With Indian Spiced Crust

This recipe is for all the butter chicken lovers out there. A dish that blends the classic Indian flavours with the most famous Italian snack. This is a butter chicken pizza! Where a homemade pizza crust is spiced with Indian masalas and it is topped with a velvety makhani sauce. Pieces of succulent chicken tikka and lots of cheese are sprinkled on top of it. Believe me, this pizza is just divine.

If you are a fan of fusion recipes, then this recipe is for you. An Indian-style pizza which combines all the amazing Indian flavours into this one dish. With every bite, you will experience diverse flavours. Every layer has a different taste and they go really well together.

Starting from the top, there is a layer of melted mozzarella cheese which has a beautiful roasted kasuri methi aroma. Under that, there are crispy chicken tikka masala, onion slices and lots of golden fried garlic. Then comes a layer of melted cheese and underneath that there is a layer of rich, creamy, buttery and luscious makhani sauce. Trust me, it’s terrific!

And under all these layers, there is a soft pizza bread which is spiced with a few Indian masalas. This pizza crust is so unique. Carom seeds and garlic flavoured oil provide an amazing taste to it.

Watch the butter chicken pizza recipe video here:

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Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Bake Time: 40 min | Rest Time: 2 hr 30 min

Total Time: 1 hr 30 min (excludes resting time)

Serves: 12-inch pizza

Ingredients:

For the chicken tikka:

• 250g boneless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
• ⅓ cup hung curd, (see recipe note no. 1)
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp mustard oil
• ½ tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp roasted gram flour or besan, (see recipe note no. 5)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• Salt to taste

For the makhani sauce (gravy):

• 2 cups tomato puree
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 3 green cardamoms
• ¼ cup onion paste
• ½ tbsp garlic paste
• ½ tbsp ginger paste
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1tsp sugar, granulated
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp cashew paste, (see recipe note no. 4)
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• ½ tbsp kasuri methi, roasted and crushed (see recipe note no. 6)
• 3 tbsp fresh cream

For the Indian-style masala dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ tsp instant dry yeast
• 1.5 carom seeds or ajwain
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1.5 tsp sugar, castor or superfine
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¾ -1 cup warm water
• Olive oil, for greasing
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• Cornmeal, for dusting

Other ingredients:

• Garlic oil, for greasing (see recipe note no. 3)
• Mozzarella cheese, grated, as per your liking
• Onion slices, as per your liking
• Fried garlic, as per your liking (see recipe note no. 2)

Cooking Directions:

To make the chicken tikka:

In a bowl, add hung curd, garlic paste, ginger paste, mustard oil, lemon juice, roasted gram flour, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and salt. Give it a good mix.

Then add the chicken and mix well. Make sure all the chicken pieces are covered in the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. You can also place it in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 250-degree Celsius. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Place the chicken pieces over the lined tray. Roast them for 15-20 minutes. Make sure they are tender on the inside and golden brown on the outside.

To make the makhani sauce:

Heat a saucepan over medium flame. Pour oil and butter. Allow the butter to melt completely.

Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and green cardamoms in the pan. Cook them for a minute or until they are fragrant.

Add onion paste and cook it for a few minutes. Make sure all the water in the paste dries out and the raw onion smell disappears.

Then add garlic and ginger paste. Cook for a few minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, sugar, salt and cashew paste. Mix well.

Bring it to a boil. Then reduce the flame and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until oil separates from the sauce.

Then add black pepper powder and roasted kasuri methi. Mix well.

Turn the heat off. Take the whole spices out of the sauce and discard them.

Add fresh cream and mix it well. Makhani sauce is ready. Keep it aside to cool down.

To make the Indian spiced pizza dough:

In a large bowl, add all-purpose flour and instant dry yeast. Mix well.

Then add carom seeds or ajwain, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, sugar and salt. Combine everything together.

Pour olive oil into the flour mixture. Add warm water little at a time and make a smooth dough.

Dust the work surface with flour. Place the dough over it. Knead it for 5 minutes. Now you can knead it in two ways.

First Method: Place the dough over the floured surface and stretch it with the heel of your palm, away from your face. Then fold it back and rotate the dough 90-degrees in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction. Again stretch, fold and rotate. Keep repeating until the dough is smooth.

Second Method: Apply flour on your palm. Hold the dough and fold the edges into the centre, away from your face. Just like folding a book. Then turn it and fold again. Continue folding it for around 8-9 times. I saw this technique on Natasha’s Kitchen and I prefer this method over the previous one.

To check if the dough is ready to rise, press it with your finger and it should bounce back. Otherwise, keep kneading it.

Pull the sides of the dough towards the bottom. Gather the ends together. Pinch and seal it. And form a smooth ball.

Grease the bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in it. Brush a little oil over the dough as well.

Cover with cling wrap. Allow it to rise for a few hours until it has doubled in size.

During summer it may double in size in just 30 minutes to 1 hour. But in winters, it may require more time. I made this in November and it was around 25-degree Celsius. The dough took approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to double its original size.

Unwrap and punch the dough down to release all the air bubbles. Form a smooth dough ball.

To make the butter chicken pizza:

Preheat the oven to 200-degree Celsius for at least 15-20 minutes.

Take a piece of parchment paper, the same as the size of the pizza tray. Dust with cornmeal. Place the dough over it. Cover with cling wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

After the second rise, the pizza dough is ready. Punch the centre of the dough again and make a depression. Then with your palm and fingers gently spread the dough and make a circular shape. Make sure the edge remains thick and the centre remains thin.

While stretching the dough, if it starts to shrink back then wait for a few minutes and let the dough relax. After that continue spreading it.

Brush garlic flavoured oil over the pizza base. Prick it with a fork.

Place the dough over the pizza tray. If you are using parchment paper then you can easily slide the pizza base over the tray with the help of the paper (Watch the video). If not, then carefully lift it up and place it over the tray.

Bake for 10 minutes. Then take it out and place it over a rack.

Again bush the dough with garlic flavoured oil. Add the makhani sauce and spread it out. Leaving a 1 cm border around the base.

Add mozzarella cheese, chicken tikka, onion slices and fried garlic. Add more cheese over them. Sprinkle kasuri methi powder over the pizza.

Put it back into the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is slightly golden.

Then take the butter chicken pizza out and cut it into slices. Serve hot!

Recipe Notes:

1. How to make hung curd: To make hung curd, take a bowl and place a piece of muslin cloth over it. Add the curd or yoghurt over the cloth. Gather all the ends of the cloth and tie it. Hang the tied cloth from a hook. And place a bowl under it. Let it drip for 3-4 hours. After that hung curd will be ready.
2. How to make fried garlic: Heat oil in a pan over a medium-low flame. Add chopped garlic. Fry them until they turn golden in colour. Transfer to a plate lined with absorbent paper. Then you can use them as a topping over pizza or something else.
3. Garlic flavoured oil: After taking out the fried garlic from the oil, use this leftover oil to brush the pizza dough.
4. How to make cashew paste: Soak cashews in water for 3-4 hours. Then drain water and add them to a grinder jar. Pour 1-2 tsp water. Make a thick and creamy paste.
5. How to roast gram flour: Heat a non-stick pan over low flame. Add the gram flour or besan. Keep stirring it over a low flame until it is fragrant. Once it starts giving out a nutty aroma. Turn the flame off. Roasted gram flour is ready.
6. How to roast kasuri methi and powder it: Heat a non-stick pan over low flame. Add the dried kasuri methi leaves. Keep stirring it over a low flame until it is fragrant. Then turn the flame off. Once it cools down a little. Crush them between your palms. Kasuri methi powder is ready to be used.

If you liked this homemade butter chicken pizza recipe then check out some other pizza recipes on the blog.

Butter Chicken Pizza With Indian Spiced Crust

Sneha Paul

Indian-Style butter chicken pizza with spiced crust. A dish that blends the classic Indian flavours with the most famous Italian snack.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Bake Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine Indian, Italian

Servings 12 inch pizza

Ingredients

  

For the chicken tikka:

• 250 g boneless chicken cut into bite-size pieces
• ⅓ cup hung curd
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp mustard oil
• ½ tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp roasted gram flour or besan
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• Salt to taste

For the makhani sauce (gravy):

• 2 cups tomato puree
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 2- inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 3 green cardamoms
• ¼ cup onion paste
• ½ tbsp garlic paste
• ½ tbsp ginger paste
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp sugar granulated
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp cashew paste
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• ½ tbsp kasuri methi roasted and crushed
• 3 tbsp fresh cream

For the Indian-style masala dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ tsp instant dry yeast
• 1.5 carom seeds or ajwain
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1.5 tsp sugar castor or superfine
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¾ -1 cup warm water
• Olive oil for greasing
• All-purpose flour for dusting
• Cornmeal for dusting

Other ingredients:

• Garlic oil for greasing
• Mozzarella cheese grated, as per your liking
• Onion slices as per your liking
• Fried garlic as per your liking

Instructions

 

To make the chicken tikka:

• In a bowl, add hung curd, garlic paste, ginger paste, mustard oil, lemon juice, roasted gram flour, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and salt. Give it a good mix.
• Then add the chicken and mix well. Make sure all the chicken pieces are covered in the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. You can also place it in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 250-degree Celsius. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Place the chicken pieces over the lined tray. Roast them for 15-20 minutes. Make sure they are tender on the inside and golden brown on the outside.

To make the makhani sauce:

• Heat a saucepan over medium flame. Pour oil and butter. Allow the butter to melt completely.
• Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and green cardamoms in the pan. Cook them for a minute or until they are fragrant.
• Add onion paste and cook it for a few minutes. Make sure all the water in the paste dries out and the raw onion smell disappears.
• Then add garlic and ginger paste. Cook for a few minutes until the raw smell disappears.
• Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, sugar, salt and cashew paste. Mix well.
• Bring it to a boil. Then reduce the flame and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until oil separates from the sauce.
• Then add black pepper powder and roasted kasuri methi. Mix well.
• Turn the heat off. Take the whole spices out of the sauce and discard them.
• Add fresh cream and mix it well. Makhani sauce is ready. Keep it aside to cool down.

To make the Indian spiced pizza dough:

• In a large bowl, add all-purpose flour and instant dry yeast. Mix well.
• Then add carom seeds or ajwain, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, sugar and salt. Combine everything together.
• Pour olive oil into the flour mixture. Add warm water little at a time and make a smooth dough.
• Dust the work surface with flour. Place the dough over it. Knead it for 5 minutes. Now you can knead it in two ways.
• First Method: Place the dough over the floured surface and stretch it with the heel of your palm, away from your face. Then fold it back and rotate the dough 90-degrees in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction. Again stretch, fold and rotate. Keep repeating until the dough is smooth.
• Second Method: Apply flour on your palm. Hold the dough and fold the edges into the centre, away from your face. Just like folding a book. Then turn it and fold again. Continue folding it for around 8-9 times. I saw this technique on Natasha’s Kitchen and I prefer this method over the previous one.
• To check if the dough is ready to rise, press it with your finger and it should bounce back. Otherwise, keep kneading it.
• Pull the sides of the dough towards the bottom. Gather the ends together. Pinch and seal it. And form a smooth ball.
• Grease the bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in it. Brush a little oil over the dough as well.
• Cover with cling wrap. Allow it to rise for a few hours until it has doubled in size.
• During summer it may double in size in just 30 minutes to 1 hour. But in winters, it may require more time. I made this in November and it was around 25-degree Celsius. The dough took approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to double its original size.
• Unwrap and punch the dough down to release all the air bubbles. Form a smooth dough ball.

To make the butter chicken pizza:

• Preheat the oven to 200-degree Celsius for at least 15-20 minutes.
• Take a piece of parchment paper, the same as the size of the pizza tray. Dust with cornmeal. Place the dough over it. Cover with cling wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
• After the second rise, the pizza dough is ready. Punch the centre of the dough again and make a depression. Then with your palm and fingers gently spread the dough and make a circular shape. Make sure the edge remains thick and the centre remains thin.
• While stretching the dough, if it starts to shrink back then wait for a few minutes and let the dough relax. After that continue spreading it.
• Brush garlic flavoured oil over the pizza base. Prick it with a fork.
• Place the dough over the pizza tray. If you are using parchment paper then you can easily slide the pizza base over the tray with the help of the paper (Watch the video). If not, then carefully lift it up and place it over the tray.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Then take it out and place it over a rack.
• Again bush the dough with garlic flavoured oil. Add the makhani sauce and spread it out. Leaving a 1 cm border around the base.
• Add mozzarella cheese, chicken tikka, onion slices and fried garlic. Add more cheese over them. Sprinkle kasuri methi powder over the pizza.
• Put it back into the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is slightly golden.
• Then take the butter chicken pizza out and cut it into slices. Serve hot!

Notes

Resting Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (not included in total time)

 

Keyword butter chicken pizza, indian pizza crust, indian pizza recipe

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Happy Cooking!