Why it works: Mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,093 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Chicken Dijon Pizza with Cheese and Onions
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Heat oven to 450°F.
Coat pizza pan with cooking spray.
Pat out pizza dough onto pan.
Top the pizza
Spread dressing over dough, leaving ½ inch border around edge.
Sprinkle with half of cheese blend.
Scatter chicken over top.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese blend and the Parmesan.
Top with onion rings.
Bake and serve
Bake for 20 minutes or until top is bubbly and bottom is browned.
Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 8 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 85 |
| Honey | 1 tbsp (21g) | 64 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Pizza | not in our table | 0 |
| Salad Dressing | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Mozzarella cheese + parmesan cheesetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,093 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Chicken + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,814 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, sweet).
-
Mozzarella cheese + chickentop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together600 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
-
Chicken + parmesan cheesetop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,846 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl isobutyrate (fruity, ethereal).
-
Parmesan cheese + oniontop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,717 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Pizza dough
- Forms the crust that holds the toppings and browns in the oven.
- Honey dijon salad dressing
- Provides the sauce base, adding sweetness and tangy mustard flavour.
- Cheddar, mozzarella cheese blend
- Melts into a stretchy layer that binds the toppings and browns on top.
- Cooked chicken
- Adds the protein and savoury bulk of the topping.
- Parmesan cheese
- Adds salty, nutty flavour and helps the top brown as it bakes.
The step that matters
Leave the border around the edge. Keeping ½ inch of dough bare lets the crust rise and set around the edge, so the sauce and cheese stay inside and the rim bakes crisp rather than soggy.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (honey, mozzarella cheese, chicken, parmesan cheese):
- Tomatofits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Potatofits about as well
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against honey, mozzarella cheese, chicken, parmesan cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
Chicken Broth257 recipes
Chicken Soup156 recipes
Macaroni and Cheese102 recipes
Creamed Chicken89 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.