Homemade Garlic Bread Pizza is a breeze with store-bought staples

We have recipes for each component, so, yes, you can make a Fast Blender marinara sauce, which takes about 30 minutes to cook. While baking, you can make Becky Krystal’s delicious Garlic Triple Bread, which takes about an hour in total to prepare and bake. For chicken, you can cook Ellie Krieger’s Crispy Chicken Tenders, which can be ready in about 30 minutes, unless you marinate the poultry for two hours, as she recommends.

Or you can reach for your favorite brand of frozen garlic bread and chicken nuggets or tender, served with jarred marinara, to have dinner on the table in 30 minutes. If you already have these items in your pantry or freezer, great.

I love French bread pizzas and have been making them for years, but I was prompted to make this one after my colleague Emily Heil did the heavy lifting on two of her recent taste tests. In September, she gathered a group to taste 10 brands of chicken nuggets. His team ranked them to choose the best frozen chicken nuggets.

Then, in January, she assembled a group to test 12 brands of jar marinara sauce to reveal which was the most delicious.

Thanks to her, along with the premier Rao Sauce and Whole Foods 365 Nuggets (which scored the highest in this test), I knew I was starting with quality convenience products. A few tips if you are planning to make any type of French style pizza.

• For the bread, I like to use garlic bread as it adds flavor to your crust, but you can use plain – should be wider and softer than a baguette. If the bread is curled around the edges, place a baking sheet on it and press down lightly to flatten it a bit. Bake the bread – no need to thaw if frozen – until crispy and just beginning to brown around the edges.
• Then, spoon the marinara in, but don’t overdo it. Add just enough to add flavor and moisture.
• You can use breaded nuggets (for a chicken parmigiana effect). Or it’s a great way to use up leftover roast chicken, mushrooms, squash or eggplant.
• To finish, top with enough shredded mozzarella to cover the pizzas, then cook until bubbling and starting to brown a little.

You can eat the pizza like this or let people add their favorite toppings. Don’t overload it. Sprinkle the cooked pizza with a little parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes. Do you have fresh herbs on hand? Place a few leaves on it. Want your pizza to be a little tastier? Heat up more marinara and put small dishes on the table for dipping.

While the pizzas are baking, whip up a green or fruit salad and you’ve got what promises to be a popular dinner party. Or you can cut the pizzas into smaller slices and serve them as an after school or movie night snack or maybe for a Super Bowl watch party.

Chicken and Garlic Bread Pizza

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

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• One package (10 to 12 ounces) frozen garlic bread
• 1/2 cup jar marinara sauce
• 8 ounces baked or fried chicken tenders or nuggets, breaded or plain
• 1 3/4 cups (6 ounces) grated cheese, such as fontina or mozzarella
• Crushed red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)
• Grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
• Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for serving (optional)

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, arrange the garlic bread, buttered side up. (If the bread is curled around the edges, place a baking sheet on it and gently press down to flatten it a little.) Bake for about 8 minutes or until the bread is lightly browned.

Spread the marinara evenly over the bread. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and arrange them over the sauce. Garnish with grated mozzarella or fontina.

Bake for about 8 minutes, or until the cheese melts and begins to bubble.

Transfer to a cutting board and cut each piece of bread in half or quarters. Transfer the pizza to plates and immediately sprinkle with chili flakes, Parmesan and/or parsley or basil, if using. Serve hot.

Calories: 496; Total fat: 26 g; Saturated fat: 11 g; Cholesterol: 50mg; Sodium: 991mg; Carbohydrates: 42g; Dietary fiber: 2g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 28g

This analysis is an estimate based on the available ingredients and this preparation. It should not replace the advice of a dietitian or nutritionist.

From recipe editor Ann Maloney.

Tested by Ann Maloney; questions by e-mail to [email protected].

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