This Chicago-Style Pizza Pie is not like any other pizza you've had. This one is thick and rich, made in a cast iron pan. Chicago-style pizza is a treat for both your eyes and your taste buds. You eat it with a fork and knife, enjoying every delicious bite.
The crust is buttery with a nice crunch at the edges. I made it with chicken tikka filling and a lot of mozzarella cheese, you can use your favorite toppings, like tasty Italian sausage. The tomato sauce goes on top, covering everything with its bright flavor. Finally, a sprinkle of Pecorino cheese finishes it off.
Get ready for a burst of flavors and a true taste of Chicago. You can also try my French Bread Pizza, Chicken Pot Pie, and for dessert Banoffee Pie.
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⭐Why You'll Love This Chicago-Style Pizza Pie Recipe
- Simple Preparation: With straightforward instructions and easily accessible ingredients, this recipe is simple enough for home cooks of all skill levels to recreate the iconic flavors of Chicago-style pizza.
- Satisfying Texture: The combination of a crisp bottom crust, gooey melted cheese, and flavorful toppings creates a satisfying texture experience with each bite.
- Authentic Flavor: This recipe captures the essence of classic Chicago-style pizza with its thick, buttery crust, hearty toppings, and rich tomato sauce.
- Customizable: While I have used tikka chicken, you can easily customize it with your favorite toppings such as Italian sausage, peppers, onions, or mushrooms to suit your taste preferences.
- Versatile Meal Option: Whether you serve it as a main course for dinner or slice it into smaller portions for a party or potluck, Chicago Style Pizza Pie is a versatile meal option that's sure to satisfy a crowd.
- Perfect for Sharing: Chicago-style pizza is known for its generous size and deep-dish construction, making it perfect for sharing with family and friends during gatherings or casual dinners.
If you want more comfort food you should check out French Bread Pizza and Chicken Alfredo Pasta Fettuccine.
🧾Ingredients
Here is a list of everything you need:
For Pizza Pie Crust:
- Pizza Dough Ready Rolled: This forms the base and structure of the pizza pie crust, providing a foundation for the toppings and contributing to the overall texture and chewiness of the crust. You can make your own pizza dough using flour, yeast, water, salt, and olive oil.
- Butter: Greasing the cast-iron pan with butter adds flavor and helps create a crispy, golden crust.
- Semolina: Sprinkling semolina in the greased pan adds texture to the bottom crust, preventing it from sticking and enhancing its crispiness. Cornmeal can be used as a substitute for semolina to sprinkle in the greased pan. It provides a similar texture and helps prevent sticking.
Filling:
- Sliced Tikka Chicken: Adds protein and savory flavor to the pizza pie, contributing to its hearty and satisfying taste. You can substitute sliced tikka chicken with Italian sausage.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Melts into gooey, stretchy strands, providing a creamy texture and rich flavor that binds the pizza pie together. You can use Provolone cheese instead of Mozzarella.
For Pizza Sauce:
- Passata: Provides a smooth and rich tomato base for the sauce, offering sweetness and acidity to balance the other flavors. Tomato puree can be used as a substitute for passata.
- Tomato Paste: Intensifies the tomato taste in the sauce.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor profile and helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Black Pepper: Adds a subtle spicy kick and enhances the overall savory taste of the sauce.
- Dried Oregano: Infuses the sauce with aromatic herbal flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Enhances the richness of the sauce and adds a subtle fruity note.
Garnish:
- Pecorino Cheese: Sprinkled on top of the pizza pie after baking, adds a sharp, salty flavor to the dish. Parmesan cheese has a similar sharp and salty flavor to pecorino and can be used as a substitute.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Chicago-Style Pizza Pie
These step-by-step instructions and photos will help you to visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for a printable version of this recipe.
1. Combine passata, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a mixing bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
2. Coat the cast iron pan with butter, then dust it with a layer of semolina.
3. Gently press one of the pizza doughs into the cast-iron pan, spreading it out evenly and pressing it up the sides.
4. Evenly distribute the tikka chicken slices over the entire surface of the pie crust.
5. Arrange the mozzarella cheese evenly on top of the layer of chicken slices.
6. Place the second pizza dough over the toppings, then press the edges together to seal the pie securely and trim off any excess dough around the edge of the cast iron pan.
7. Drizzle the pizza sauce over the pizza pie, ensuring it covers the surface evenly.
8. Create a few vents on the surface of the pizza pie crust using a knife.
9. Place the pie in the preheated oven at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 190°C (374°F) and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the crust turns a beautiful golden brown.
10. After baking, take the pizza out of the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes in the cast iron pan before carefully transferring it out of the pan.
11. Sprinkle pecorino cheese generously over the pizza pie.
12. Cut the pizza pie into slices and serve.
📖Variations
- Meat Lover's Chicago-Style Pizza Pie: Load up the pizza with a combination of meats such as pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon, ham, and salami.
- BBQ Chicken Chicago Style Pizza Pie: Use BBQ sauce instead of traditional pizza sauce. Top with diced cooked chicken tossed in BBQ sauce, red onions, and fresh cilantro.
- Chicago Style BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza Pie: Substitute the tikka chicken with shredded BBQ pulled pork. Top with caramelized onions and sliced jalapeños for a sweet and spicy kick.
🍽 How to Serve
- Accompaniments: Serve it alongside a salad like Pasta Salad, Waldorf Salad, or Potato Salad to balance out the richness of the pizza. Bubble Potato Pillows and Seed Crackers are also excellent choices.
- Beverages: Serve with beer or wine such as a light-bodied red like Chianti or a refreshing white like Pinot Grigio. Soft drinks, sparkling water, or Pink Lemonade are great non-alcoholic options.
💭Tips for Recipe Success
Use the Right Pan: Bake in a cast-iron skillet. Make sure your pan is well-greased to prevent sticking and to achieve a crispy crust.
Layer Ingredients Thoughtfully: Start with the dough pressed evenly into the pan, followed by the toppings.
Make Air Vents: Use a sharp knife to make a few small vents in the top crust before baking. This allows steam to escape during baking and prevents the crust from becoming soggy.
Bake at the Right Temperature: Follow the baking instructions closely, as the temperature and timing can vary depending on your oven and the thickness of your pizza. Start with a higher temperature to set the crust, then lower the temperature to finish baking without burning.
Allow Time to Rest: Let the pizza cool in the pan for a few minutes after baking before slicing and serving. This allows the cheese to set and prevents the toppings from sliding off.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat individual slices in the oven or microwave for a quick and satisfying meal later.
❓FAQ
Chicago Style Pizza Pie, also known as deep-dish pizza, is a style of pizza characterized by its thick crust, generous layers of cheese, toppings, and tomato sauce. It's baked in a deep-dish pizza pan or cast-iron skillet, resulting in a hearty and satisfying pie.
Chicago Style Pizza Pie differs from traditional thin-crust pizza in its thick and deep-dish crust, which resembles more of a pie or casserole. It also features a unique layering of toppings, with cheese placed under the sauce, and often includes heartier ingredients such as sausage, onions, and peppers.
To reheat leftover Chicago Style Pizza Pie, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the pizza slices on a baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat individual slices in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat until the crust is crispy and the cheese is melted.
Yes, you can freeze Chicago Style Pizza Pie for later enjoyment. Wrap the cooled pizza tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. Label with the date and freeze for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw the pizza overnight in the refrigerator and follow the reheating instructions I have mentioned above.
🍛More Comfort Food Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite comfort food recipes! Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Chicago-Style Pizza Pie
Ingredients
For Pizza Pie Crust:
- 2 Pizza Dough Ready Rolled
- Butter
- Semolina
For Pizza Pie Filling:
- 500 g Sliced Tikka Chicken
- 400 g Mozzarella Cheese
For Pizza Sauce:
- 300 g Passata
- 2 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For Garnish:
- 20 g Pecorino
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add passata, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and extra virgin olive oil. Stir well to combine.
- Grease the cast iron pan with butter and sprinkle on some semolina.
- Place one of the pizza doughs into the cast-iron pan, pressing it down and up the sides of the pan to form a crust.
- Spread the tikka chicken slices evenly over the pie crust.
- Layer the mozzarella cheese over the chicken slices.
- Cover the pizza pie with the second pizza dough, pressing the edges to seal the pie.
- Use a sharp knife to cut off the extra dough around the edge of the cast iron pan.
- Pour the pizza sauce over the top of the pizza pie, spreading it out evenly.
- Make a few holes in the top of the pizza pie crust.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes and then bake at 190°C (374°F) for 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
- Once baked, remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes in the cast iron pan before removing it from the pan.
- Sprinkle pecorino on top of the pizza pie.
- Slice the pizza pie and serve. Enjoy your Chicago Style Pizza Pie!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
It's definitely a fork-and-knife kind of pizza, but that just adds to the experience.