I got this idea when I was recently making tostados. I love pizza, I love tostados, I love any dough-based dish with cheesy toppings which you can eat with your hands. So, why don’t people make Indian style pizzas? (Feel free to educate me if I’m wrong!)
This is a classic quick weeknight dish. If you have people coming round on a weeknight and don’t have time for something seriously fancy, try making these! Your guests will be impressed that you’ve managed to whip up something so exciting so quickly.
You can make them with shop-bought naan (which keeps this super quick), or homemade if you have time. Either way, you’ll end up with golden, crispy naans topped with garam masala-spiced tomato sauce, spinach, tender chicken and soft, golden paneer.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes.
- Fun to make and eat.
- Easy to adapt – make it vegetarian or mix up the toppings.
- Big flavour, little effort.
- Perfect for sharing, Friday nights or casual entertaining.
It’s one of those recipes that feels a bit special but barely takes any time at all.
You could easily make this veggie by leaving off the chicken, and why not have a play around with the toppings? I think lamb and red pepper would work beautifully too, or beef and okra.
This was one of those experiments which goes unexpectedly well, and I implore you to try it!
Ingredients – Notes & Substitutions
- Naan breads: Use plain naan (store-bought is fine). Garlic naan or homemade naan would also work beautifully.
- Spinach: Wilted in olive oil to remove moisture before topping.
- Cooked chicken breast: Perfect for using up leftovers — or leave it out for a vegetarian version.
- Paneer: A mild Indian cheese that softens but doesn’t melt. If you can’t find it, ricotta or halloumi both work nicely.
- Ginger & garlic: Freshly chopped for the sauce base.
- Spices: Ground coriander, cumin and garam masala give that lovely, aromatic warmth.
- Tomato purée & sugar: Make a quick, rich pizza-style sauce with a subtle sweetness.
- Olive oil: For cooking and brushing the naan if you like it crisp.
- To serve: A dollop of yoghurt and fresh coriander — optional but adds a lovely cooling finish.
Top Tips
- Squeeze the spinach well: It’ll stop the naans going soggy.
- Crisp the naans: For extra crunch, bake them plain for 2 minutes before adding toppings.
- Paneer pro tip: You can pan-fry it first if you like it extra golden and chewy.
- Short on time? Use leftover curry sauce instead of making your own tomato base — works beautifully.
FAQs
Yes – it keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Absolutely. Try pitta, flatbreads or even thick tortillas.
Yes – skip the chicken, use tofu instead of paneer, and swap yoghurt for coconut yoghurt.
It’s mild as written, but you can add chilli powder or flakes for more heat.
Chicken, Spinach and Paneer Naan Pizzas
Ingredients
- 2 plain naan breads large
- 200 grams fresh spinach
- 100 grams chicken breast cooked, shredded
- 150 grams paneer
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 grams ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 150 grams tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Yoghurt and a small bunch fresh coriander to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.
- Wilt the spinach in a saucepan with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. When it is all wilted, take off the heat and leave to one side while you make the sauce.
- Finely chop the ginger and garlic, then add to another saucepan with the remaining olive oil. Sizzle for 2 minutes, then add the cumin, coriander and garam masala. Cook for 1 more minute then add the tomato puree and 100ml water. Stir well, then add the sugar and a little salt. Remove from the heat.
- Spread the tomato sauce over the top of each naan bread. Squeeze the spinach to remove any excess water, then dot it over the naans. Sprinkle over the chicken. Chop the paneer and add this too.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the naans are crisp and the paneer is golden. Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander and with the yoghurt on the side for dipping.
Notes
Variations
- Vegetarian version: Skip the chicken and double up on paneer or add roasted red peppers.
- Chutney twist: Replace the tomato sauce with mango chutney for a sweet-spicy version.
- Add heat: Sprinkle with chilli flakes or drizzle with sriracha before serving.
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Warm in the oven at 180°C for about 10 minutes or in a frying pan until crisp again.
- Freezer: You can freeze the cooked pizzas (before adding yoghurt) for up to 3 months.
Thanks for sharing Miranda 🙂
You’re welcome Harriet! 🙂
Wow! These look so beautiful and delicious! I love naan bread so these will be perfect for me!
That looks so good! I love that you used paneer. It’s more like bread cheese in that it doesn’t melt. Fabulous!
Hmmmm, sounds good. This will be on my ‘to cook/bake’-list
These look great – and perfect for a weekday supper. I’ve made similar ‘pizzas’ using pitta bread, but haven’t thought about using naan before. Excellent idea!
Clever idea – especially using paneer which tastes so good when cooked!
Oh, those look so tasty! I’ll definitely be adding this to my to-do list!
I love paneer cheese, these little naan pizzas look scrumptious
They look so good!
What a fab idea. Son1 loves pizza and indian food, so this would be ideal
I have made something similar before but used mango chutney instead of tomato puree.. yum
Great idea!
I have all the ingredients on hand, so guess what I’ll be making for dinner tonight! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Looks amazing! Have to try this out!
The pizza looks so delicious 🙂
Oh, what a yummy looking dinner. I’ve never had paneer before, not sure if I can even buy it at my local grocery stores. Can you think of a substitute? Would it have a similar taste to feta cheese? I absolutely love feta.
Thanks Diana! Paneer is much milder than feta – I’d use ricotta if I couldn’t get hold of paneer x
These look so very good!!
This looks delicious! I’d definitely try a veggie version.
Looks so yummy! Great photos that make my stomach grumble and my mouth water.
Thanks Wendy!
Ooh! I’ve been looking for something to do with the beautiful naan they started carrying at my local grocery store. I could even make a dairy-free version with soy/veggie cheese! Thank you for the recipe!
Enjoy! Dairy free version sounds great x
what a fab idea – shall be copying this one! x
It is a great idea. Try it buffalo style on the grill! No clean up and a nice smoky flavor .
great plan 🙂 thanks
I love naan! So tasty! I have been wanting to make it homemade! Do you think it is difficult?
I haven’t made it before, but it’s supposed to be fairly easy! I will give it a go and let you know 🙂