Chicago Pizza with Chicken Sausage

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Here is an amazing recipe for Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza with Chicken Sausage! I love to make 2-4 of these and freeze some for later! Great weeknight family dinner!

It’s pizza night!! This is the holy-grail, make-you-drool-just-thinking-about-it, Chicago Style Pizza.  Chicago pizza has a flaky deep dish crust with a layer of mozzarella cheese, topped with a layer of sausage, and then fresh and bright tomato sauce on top. This is my slightly lighter version that uses chicken sausage.  That’s right, this is Chicago Style Pizza with Chicken Sausage!

What is Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza?

I grew up in a suburb of Chicago and we would frequently go out for Chicago-Style pizza, which I absolutely LOVE.  Chicago-style means deep dish pizza that has

• A flaky, buttery crust that is not a traditional pizza crust.
• It is baked in a 8-9 inch round cake pan.
• The loads of gooey cheese go on the bottom!
• Usually they are filled with a layer of salty and herbed sweet Italian sausage
• Finally, it is topped, NOT with pizza sauce, but with bright and fresh tomatoes (just tomatoes) and a sprinkle of parmesan. 

I respect the thin crust pizza and frankly, I don’t discriminate, I love all types of pizza.  However, Chicago-Style is by far and away my absolute favorite. I find it my duty as a native Chicago-Suburbanite, and as a pizza-lover, to share this recipe with you on my blog.😍

Using Homemade Italian Chicken Sausage

Typically, this famous pizza is made with pork Italian sausage, which is of course delicious, but high in calories and fat.  With a Certification in Nutrition and Healthy Living, I’m always looking for ways to take recipes I love and make them healthier. Today, I am proud to bring you the healthier-but-seriously-tastes-just-as-good version of Chicago-style chicken sausage pizza.

This version is made with ground chicken that you turn into homemade Italian Sausage!  This homemade turkey Italian sausage will save you on fat, cholesterol, and calories!  And, I am dead serious, it tastes delicious – I could not believe how great it tastes!

Simple Ingredients and Substitutes

For this Chicago style pizza, there are 3 parts to the recipe: the homemade Chicago-style crust, the chicken Italian sausage, and the pizza layering.

Crust Chicago Style Pizza (2 pizzas)

Chicago-style pizza crust is not your typical pizza crust. It’s flaky, buttery, and crispy. So finding this dough already pre-made for you in the store is not likely to happen. You can of course use any raw pizza dough for a deep dish crust, but it will not taste the same – AT ALL! The recipe that I used for my crust was inspired by a recipe from Sally’s Baking Blog. The rest of the recipe (sausage, sauce, etc.) was my own based on my experience eating Lou Malnati’s Chicago Style-Pizza all my life.

• All Purpose Flour – I use regular AP white flour in this recipe. You do not need bread flour or any other special flour. I have not made this recipe using whole wheat or gluten free flour.
• Semolina or Cornmeal – Either will work here and really add to the flavor, not the texture. If you don’t have this, you can substitute with another ½ cup of the AP flour.
• Salt – Kosher salt or table salt is best in this recipe.
• Sugar, granulated – Yeast feeds on the sugar, so it is really needed in this recipe.
• Instant Yeast – Instant yeast means that you can add it directly in with the flour and other dry ingredients and it will rise without having to bloom it in the warm water first.
• Lukewarm water (around 90 F degrees) – Tap water is fine here, but be careful that the temperature is not hot. If the temperature is too hot or even too cold, it can kill the yeast and you will not have a dough that rises.
• Melted Butter, salted (COOLED, not hot) – The melted butter goes into the dough in order to form it. I used salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter. If you do use unsalted, you can add another ½ teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients to recapture the flavor.
• Softened Butter, salted – The softened butter is added after the dough rises in order to bring more flavor and flakiness. Same notes as with the melted butter.
• Olive Oil – the olive oil is NOT part of the dough recipe, but rather coats the outside of the dough so it can rise smoothly without sticking to the bowl. Olive Oil bring great Italian flavor, but you can use any oil for this purpose.

Ground Italian Chicken Sausage (2 pizzas)

• Ground chicken, White meat – I used only white meat, but any fat content of ground chicken or ground turkey will work. You can also use lean ground beef or ground pork.
• Fresh Garlic, minced – Fresh garlic is best, but you can buy pre-minced garlic to save time or mince it in bulk and freeze it for use when you need it!
• Fresh Parsley – Parsley is used in the Italian sausage mixture for moisture and color. If you don’t have it, you can leave it out as the fennel and garlic bring the flavor.
• Fennel Seed – Fennel seed is what makes Italian Sausage taste like Italian Sausage. If you don’t have it, the recipe will still work and taste great, it will just be missing that recognizable sausage flavor.
• Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Pizza layering ingredients (2 pizzas)

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – The oil is for coating the cake pans and preventing the crust from sticking. You can substitute with another oil, such as vegetable or canola.
• Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes – I used San Marzano whole tomatoes for this recipe and then crushed them in my fingers before adding them. You can also use diced tomatoes, just make sure to strain them so you don’t have too much liquid..
• Deli Mozzarella Slices, Low Moisture – Because this cooks like a pie, any excess moisture will get trapped and make the pizza soggy. That’s why sliced low-moisture, whole milk mozzarella slices are my recommendation. Slices are best becuase they completely cover the crust and protect it from moisture from the sausage and sauce. You can also use shredded mozzarella, just make sure to add enough to cover the bottom.
• Parmesan Cheese, grated – Parmesan adds that salty finish! It is optional, but a true Chicago pizza will not add any shredded cheese on top.

Easy Prep for Chicago Pizza with Chicken Sausage

Make the Chicago Style Crust Dough

This dough requires 2-3 hours to rise, so make sure that you make it that morning or a day or two ahead. It will last in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, but it will continue to rise, so you may need to punch it down to release the air a few times. You can also make this dough and freeze it (though I suggest just making the entire pizza and freezing it!).

To make the dough, the first thing is to melt the butter so it has time to cool. You will want it to come down to almost room temperature. If it’s too hot when added to the yeast, it can kill the yeast.

In a large mixing bowl (it’s a lot of dough!), combine the dry ingredients: flour, semolina or cornmeal, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Stir to combine.

Using a mixing spoon (not a whisk) mix in the warm water and cooled melted butter. Mix until all of the dry ingredients are moist.

Switch to your hands and knead the dough in the bowl for 4-5 minutes. Form a ball with the dough.

In a separate clean large bowl, add the olive oil and coat the sides. Add the ball of dough to the bowl and roll around to coat it in the oil.

Cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Keep the bowl in a room temperature to warm temperature (do not place in the refrigerator) to rise for 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size.

After the dough doubles in size, ‘punch’ the dough down in the center to release the air.

Flour a clean flat surface and roll the dough out to rectangle that is about 15-17 inches long. Spread the softened butter out across the entire dough.

Gently roll the dough the long way so that you have a long 15-17 inch log.

Using a knife, cut the dough log in half. Separately roll each half into a ball, as these are the 2 pizza crusts. Place the 2 balls back into the oiled bowl, cover the bowl again. This time, place in the refrigerator to rise for 1 additional hour.

Make the Homemade Chicken Sausage

While the dough is rising, you can make the Italian sausage.  Tip, check out this post for making extra Ground Italian Chicken Sausage and then using it in a variety of easy dinner ideas!   

Add the ground chicken, minced garlic, chopped parsley, fennel seed, salt and fresh ground pepper to a bowl and mix with a fork until everything is completely combined.  See below for detailed recipe.  Set aside until ready to layer on top of the mozzarella.

Assemble & Cook Your Chicago Style Pizza

Open the whole peeled tomatoes and place into a large bowl. Put a strainer over a bowl and squeeze and mash the whole tomatoes in your hands over the strainer keeping big chunks of tomato in the strainer and allowing all of the excess liquid to fall through into the bowl. Make sure that you really strain the liquid out so that it doesn’t make the pizza soggy. Set aside.

On a floured surface, bring one of the dough balls from the bowl in the fridge and roll it out to about 12 inches. Gently place the dough into one of the pans and press the sides up along the interior sides. Do this for second pizza dough and pan next.

Layer the mozzarella slices all over the bottom, breaking up the slices as needed to created an even layer in both pizzas.

Next, split the chicken Italian sausage mixture in half in it’s storage container. Spread one half completely cover the cheese in a single layer. Do the same with the remaining half of the sausage in the other pizza.

Next, spread the tomatoes all over the sausage for both pizzas.

Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top and bake in a 450 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

TIP! I usually place a large baking sheet on the rack below just in case the pizza bubbles over.

Let sit for 5 minutes.

Cut, serve, and enjoy!!

Chicago Pizza with Chicken Sausage FAQs

How do I remove the pizza from the pan?

There are a couple of ways to do this. First, you can cut the slices in the pan and then use a pie server or triangle or regular spatula to remove each piece. Second, you can carefully wedge a thin spatula under one side while tilting the pan and pull the pizza out carefully onto a cutting board. Then you can either use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice.

Can I use fresh mozzarella in this pizza?

You can use fresh mozzarella, but you will want to first remove as much water as possible from it or else the water will cook out of it and stay within the deep dish pizza. Slice it the day before and then layer the slices on a sheet pan between paper towels and then place a second sheet pan over the paper towels. Change out the towels a few times so they continue to soak up water.

What other pizza toppings can I add to this recipe?

You can add any toppings that you love! Some of the more traditional Chicago toppings are green peppers and mushrooms. You can also add red onions, fresh basil, red bell pepper, Italian seasoning, or red pepper flakes. All of these can be added either under the sauce or on top of the sauce and cook with the pizza. If you want to make these toppings optional, then simply cook them in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat with a touch of olive oil and then serve on the side.