Chicken Parmesan Pizza

Hot damn - this dish is mind-blowing! Moist chicken, simmered in a savory marinara, nestled over dough and topped with an enormous amount of cheese. And get this, those are dinner rolls that puff up and create the most magical, crispy/chewy crust!

How awesome is that? Dinner rolls?! I wanted to try something different, so I took the concept of monkey bread (many little pieces of bread dough) and created this insane crust. And that chicken... it cooks right in the marinara sauce with all the herbs and flavor... It's moist and downright incredible. Not gonna lie.

About the rolls: You can use either refrigerated or frozen dinner rolls here. And I'm referring to the UN-baked rolls; the raw dough that you just place and bake. If you choose refrigerated, there are typically 8 rolls per container, so two containers would make a nice large pizza. I chose frozen rolls, and used 14 total. I also had to allow an extra 3 hours for thawing them on the counter! If you use frozen rolls, follow the directions for thawing (either on the counter or overnight in the fridge).

Yes, you can certainly use store-bought pizza dough... But aren't you just a little curious?

Chicken Parmesan Pizza 

2 cups tomato sauce, from a carton or can
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts tablespoons olive oil
14-16 refrigerated or frozen dinner rolls, thawed if frozen (follow package directions)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves for serving
Crushed red pepper flakes for serving

In a large saucepan, combine the tomato sauce, oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well. Add the chicken and set the pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until the chicken is tender and shreddable. Use two forks to shred the chicken directly into the sauce (or transfer the chicken to a bowl to shred and then return it to the pan). Simmer for 2 more minutes, until the mixture thickens. Remove the pan from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Brush a shallow baking dish or ovenproof skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the rolls in the pan and press down so they are touching each other (or touching as much as possible). Brush the top of the rolls with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Spoon the chicken mixture all over the rolls, to within 1/2-inch of the edges of the pan. Top the chicken with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the rolls are puffed up and golden brown and the cheese melts.
Top with basil and serve with crushed red pepper flakes on the side.
Serves 4-6