Keto Pizzette with Chicken-Cheese Crust

Mini Italian pizzas with a crust made of chicken. Just trust me.

These are pizzette — Italian for “little pizzas.” And the crust? It’s made of chicken, cottage cheese, eggs, and shredded cheddar. No flour. No almond flour. No psyllium husk. Just real ingredients that bake up into something sturdy, savory, and ridiculously satisfying.

I know how that sounds. The first time I tried a chicken-based pizza crust, I was skeptical too. But once it bakes, the crust tastes more like pizza than chicken — savory and slightly chewy with that classic crispy edge. Top it with marinara, fresh mozzarella, peppery arugula, and a drizzle of really good olive oil, and you’ve got a personal pizza that tastes way more indulgent than it has any right to.

This brilliant chicken-cheese crust recipe comes from @the_carnivore_cop_ on Instagram — go give them a follow, they’re doing some of the best carnivore-friendly cooking out there.

At 4.7g net carbs and 19.2g protein per serving, these pizzette are keto, low-carb, gluten-free, grain-free, and the kind of recipe that makes “pizza night” feel like a real treat without the carb coma.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A pizza crust made of chicken. Sturdy, savory, and somehow tastes more like pizza than chicken.
4.7g net carbs and 19.2g protein per serving. Real macros that fit your plan.
Personal pizza energy. Mini pizzas mean everyone gets their own.
Naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and nut-free. Friendly for keto, carnivore-adjacent, paleo, and most allergy-conscious eaters.
Make the crusts ahead. Bake a batch, refrigerate, and assemble pizzette anytime the craving hits.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the chicken-cheese crust (makes 7 rounds):

1 cup (220g) cottage cheese — Good Culture double cream is what gives it that perfect texture and richness. Use full-fat — low-fat won’t bind properly.
1 egg — binder.
1 cup (74g) shredded cheddar — sharp cheddar adds the most flavor. Shred from a block for the best melt.
1 cup (120g) shredded chicken — rotisserie chicken works perfectly here.

For the pizzette toppings (per serving):

1 chicken-cheese crust round
½ tbsp Rao’s marinara sauce — Rao’s is clean, low in added sugar, and tastes like real Italian tomato sauce.
1.2 oz Ciliegine mozzarella — mini fresh mozzarella balls. Cut in half before topping.
Small handful of arugula — added after baking for freshness.
Drizzle of good olive oil — since it’s the finishing touch, use one you genuinely love.

How to Make Keto Pizzette

Step 1: Make the Crust Mixture

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, egg, shredded cheddar, and shredded chicken. Mix really well — you want everything fully incorporated so the crusts hold together evenly as they bake.

Step 2: Form the Crust Rounds

Using about 63g of the mixture per round (you should get 7 total), place the mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and shape into circles. Smooth them out with the back of a spoon, but don’t make them too thin — about a quarter-inch thick is the sweet spot for a sturdy pizza crust.

Step 3: Bake the Crust

Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes. You’re looking for golden, set edges and a dry-looking surface. The crusts should feel firm but pliable when you touch them.

Step 4: Let the Crusts Cool

Let them cool to the touch before topping. They firm up as they cool, which is what gives them that perfect pizza-base texture.

Step 5: Top Your Pizzette

On a parchment-lined baking sheet, place the cooled crusts. Spread ½ tablespoon of Rao’s marinara on each round, then top with the halved Ciliegine mozzarella balls.

Step 6: Bake to Melt the Cheese

Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Step 7: Broil to Brown

Switch the oven to broil and let the cheese brown for 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully — broilers move fast and can burn cheese in seconds.

Step 8: Finish and Serve

Remove from the oven and immediately top with fresh arugula and a generous drizzle of good olive oil. Serve hot.

Expert Tips for the Best Results

Use full-fat cottage cheese. Low-fat versions don’t bind properly and you’ll get crumbly crusts instead of sturdy ones.
Shred your own cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starches that mess with the texture and how the crust holds together.
Don’t make the crusts too thin. Thin crusts can crack and tear when you add toppings. A quarter-inch is the magic number.
Watch the edges, not the clock. Ovens vary. Pull the crusts when the edges are golden and the surface looks dry — that might be 35 minutes, might be 40.
Let them cool before topping. Hot crusts are fragile. Cooled crusts hold up beautifully under sauce and cheese.
Don’t skip the broil. That golden, bubbly cheese top is what makes these feel like real pizza.
Add the arugula AFTER baking. Baked arugula gets sad. Fresh on top stays bright and peppery.

Variations & Substitutions

Different toppings — pepperoni, prosciutto, sliced olives, sautéed mushrooms, roasted peppers. Just keep toppings light so the crust doesn’t get soggy.
Different cheese on the crust — pepper jack adds heat, Monterey Jack is milder, a Mexican blend works great.
Skip the arugula for a more classic pizza vibe — try fresh basil instead.
Add herbs to the crust mixture — Italian seasoning, garlic powder, or onion powder folded in adds flavor.
Make them spicier — add red pepper flakes to the marinara or fold chopped pickled jalapeños into the crust.
Larger or smaller — make them bigger for full personal pizzas or smaller for appetizer bites.

Storage & Meal Prep

Use your nose on this one — keep them until they either smell off or you don’t want to look at them anymore.

Refrigerator: Store the cooled, unbaked-with-toppings crust rounds stacked between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container. Reheat for a few minutes in the oven before topping and baking.

Freezer-friendly: The crusts freeze beautifully. Stack with parchment between each one and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or pop them straight into a 300°F oven for a few minutes to thaw.

Meal-prep tip: Make a double batch of crusts on Sunday and you’ve got pizzette ready all week. Each one takes about 10 minutes to top and bake. Faster than delivery.

Nutrition Information (Per Serving)

Calories: 218
Fat: 14.1g
Carbs: 3.1g
Fiber: 0.2g
Net carbs: 4.7g
Protein: 19.2g

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the crust really taste like chicken? Surprisingly, no — once it bakes, the savory cheese-and-egg components dominate and the chicken adds structure more than flavor. It tastes like a sturdy, slightly chewy, slightly cheesy pizza crust. Not like a chicken patty.

Why call them pizzette? Pizzette is Italian for “little pizzas.” It’s a real thing in Italy — small, personal-sized pizzas with toppings just like the big ones. Using the Italian name elevates the dish and tells your guests this is a real thing, not just “mini pizzas.”

Can I skip the chicken? You can experiment, but the chicken is doing real structural work in this recipe — it’s what gives the crust its hold. Without it, you’ll likely end up with a cheese pancake instead of a pizza crust.

Why cottage cheese specifically? Cottage cheese has a unique combination of moisture and protein that makes it perfect for this kind of baking. Cream cheese is too dense. Ricotta is too wet. Cottage cheese is the goldilocks zone.

Can I make the crust in advance? Absolutely. Bake the crusts up to 2 days ahead and store covered in the fridge. They also freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Either way, just top and bake when you’re ready to eat.

What sauces work besides Rao’s? Any clean low-sugar marinara works. You can also use pesto, alfredo, or even a garlic-and-olive-oil base for a white pizza variation.

Where can I find more recipes like this? Big shoutout to @the_carnivore_cop_ on Instagram — that’s where this crust recipe came from. They’ve been creating some of the most creative carnivore-friendly recipes out there.

If you make these, tag @ketowilder on Instagram. I want to see your pizzette.