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Pizza with chicken apple sausage, fennel, and kale.
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Apple Chicken Sausage Pizza with Fennel and Kale

Apple chicken sausage pairs with fennel, roasted red peppers, and crispy kale for a delicious date-worthy gourmet pizza you can make at home. This chicken sausage pizza has a garlic and olive oil base that brings out the flavors of the toppings. You can bake this pizza in the oven, or grill it for a restaurant-worthy result.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 10-inch pizzas

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pizza dough
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 links chicken apple sausage I use Aidell's (two links is 6 oz, or half a package)
  • ½ cup roasted red pepper strips drained and patted dry
  • 1 small fennel bulb
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups kale thick stems removed, cut into bite sized pieces
  • kosher salt
  • semolina flour cornmeal may be substituted

Instructions

Prepare the pizza crusts

  • If you have one, place pizza stone on your grill in your oven. Preheat grill on high or oven to 450℉.
  • Cut dough into two equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Roll or press each ball into a circle using a rolling pin or your hands. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes and roll again. You may also pick up the dough and stretch it from underneath with two fists. Repeat until you have two 10" rounds.
  • If baking on a sheet pan or pizza pan: Sprinkle pan with semolina flour and lay the crust on top. No need to parbake, you can move on to the toppings section.
    If baking on a pizza stone: Sprinkle pizza peel liberally with semolina flour and lay the crust on top. Give the pizza peel a shake and see if any parts stick. Pick up any sticking bits and add more semolina flour underneath until crust slides smoothly.
    Slide each crust onto your pizza stone, close the grill lid or oven, and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the exterior of the crust doesn't feel so doughy anymore. Remove parcooked crust to a plate.

Prepare the toppings

  • Fennel: Cut the green stalks from the top of the bulb and remove any rubbery or browned outer layers. Cut the bulb in half, remove the core with a knife, and slice each half thinly.
    Chicken apple sausage: Slice or dice two links (6 oz.) of sausage.
    Roasted red peppers: Drain any liquid and pat dry to avoid making the crust soggy.
    Kale: Remove any tough stems and cut into salad-sized pieces.

Assemble and cook the pizza

  • Brush crusts all over with olive oil and rub a clove of minced garlic on each, evenly dispersing the bits. Sprinkle a little kosher salt on the edges.
  • Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, then top with sliced fennel, sausage, and roasted red peppers. Add a handful of kale over the whole top of the pizza, and sprinkle lightly with a little more cheese.
  • Transfer the pizza onto the pizza stone again (or slide the pan into the oven), close the grill cover or oven door, and bake for 7-10 minutes on the grill or 12-14 minutes in the oven. Cheese should be melted, kale shrunken and a little crispy, and crust golden brown.
  • Cut pizza into slices and enjoy!