Q1: Why do I have to pre-bake or "par-bake" a refrigerated pizza crust?

Par-baking is a crucial step when you are using a refrigerated dough and are adding a lot of wet or heavy toppings. It gives the crust a head start on cooking, which ensures that the center of the dough gets fully cooked through and becomes nice and crispy. If you were to add all the wet sauce and toppings to the raw dough, you would likely end up with a crust that is soggy and undercooked in the middle.

Q2: Can I use my own homemade pizza dough for this recipe?

Yes, absolutely! If you have the time, a homemade pizza crust would be fantastic. You will still want to fully bake your homemade crust first , let it cool slightly, and then proceed with the recipe as written by adding the sauce and the toppings and giving it the final, short bake to melt the cheese.

Q3: Can I make this pizza ahead of time?

This pizza is at its absolute best when it is served fresh. However, for a fantastic time-saving trick, you can prepare all your toppings in advance. The ham and chicken can be cubed , and the cheeses can be shredded . This makes the final assembly incredibly fast.

Q4: What is the best way to reheat leftover pizza?

The absolute best way to reheat pizza and bring back its original crispy crust is to place the slices on a baking sheet in a hot 375°F (190°C) oven for about 5-8 minutes. An air fryer also does a fantastic job of re-crisping the crust.

Q5: Can I use a different kind of cheese?

Of course! While the nutty Swiss and the melty mozzarella are a classic combination, this pizza would also be delicious with a sharp cheddar, a smoky provolone, or even a creamy fontina cheese .

The Easiest Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

An easy and creative recipe that transforms the classic flavors of Chicken Cordon Bleu into a delicious pizza. This dish uses a convenient refrigerated pizza crust as a base, which is par-baked and then spread with a creamy Alfredo sauce instead of traditional tomato sauce. The pizza is generously topped with the signature Cordon Bleu ingredients: shredded Swiss cheese, cubed fully cooked ham, and pieces of breaded chicken nuggets, along with mozzarella cheese. The finished pizza is baked until the crust is golden and the cheese is hot and bubbly.

Author: Evelyn

Ingredients

1 tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
10 breaded chicken nuggets, thawed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Unroll and press the pizza dough onto the bottom of the pan.
Par-bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are light brown.
Remove the crust from the oven. Spread it with the Alfredo sauce and sprinkle with garlic salt.
Top the sauce with the Swiss cheese, cubed ham, chicken nugget pieces, and finally, the mozzarella cheese.
Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

This is a very quick and easy meal, using several store-bought shortcuts like refrigerated pizza crust, jarred Alfredo sauce, and pre-cooked ham and chicken nuggets.
Par-baking the crust before adding the wet toppings is a key step to ensure it doesn’t get soggy.
Alfredo sauce is used in place of a traditional red pizza sauce to mimic the creamy sauce sometimes served with Chicken Cordon Bleu.

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/chicken-cordon-bleu-pizza/