Volcano Lava Blackened Fried Chicken Pizza

An epic, theatrical pizza featuring a striking charcoal crust, a mountain of crispy blackened fried chicken, and a cascading flow of molten cheese sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 yellow potato
• 12 cup white flour
• for frying cooking oil
• 1 batch prepared cheese sauce
• 500 g marinated chicken chunks
• 1 cup black coating powder
• 1 portion black pizza dough
• 1 tbsp yellow cornmeal
• 12 cup pizza sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• to taste dried cranberries
• to taste fresh mint leaves

Instructions

1. 1Slice the potato

   

   Peel a yellow potato and place it on a wooden cutting board. Carefully slice the potato into thin, even rounds, and then cut those pieces into fine julienne shreds.

   Tip: Using a sharp knife and maintaining a consistent thickness will ensure the potato shreds cook evenly later.
2. 2Wash the potato shreds

   

   Transfer the julienned potato shreds into a stainless steel container filled with clean water. Rinse them thoroughly to wash off the excess surface starch.

   Tip: Removing the starch prevents the potato shreds from sticking together and helps them achieve maximum crispiness when fried.
3. 3Coat with flour

   

   Drain the wet potato shreds and place them in a mixing bowl. Add white flour and toss the shreds by hand until each piece is evenly coated with a thin layer.

   Tip: Do not dry the potatoes completely before this step; a little residual moisture helps the flour adhere properly to the shreds.
4. 4Fry the potato shreds

   

   Heat a pot of cooking oil to 180°C. Carefully drop the flour-coated potato shreds into the bubbling hot oil and deep-fry them until they turn golden brown and crispy. Remove them and drain the excess oil.

   Tip: Fry the shreds in small batches to maintain the oil temperature and prevent them from clumping together in the pot.
5. 5Prepare the cheese sauce

   

   In a separate pan, prepare a rich cheese sauce by heating the ingredients until smooth and bubbling. Stir continuously with a spoon to ensure a milky, fragrant, and even consistency.

   Tip: Keep the heat moderate to prevent the cheese sauce from splitting or burning at the bottom of the pan.
6. 6Bread the chicken

   

   Take the pre-marinated chunks of chicken and place them into a dark grey, almost black, coating powder. Rub and toss the pieces vigorously to ensure a thick crust forms on the outside.

   Tip: Press the dark powder firmly into the chicken pieces to create a craggy volcano rock texture before frying.
7. 7Fry the blackened chicken

   

   Carefully drop the pre-marinated and coated chicken pieces into the hot oil. Fry at 180°C until the coating is crispy and the meat is cooked through. The unique black coating will maintain its dark, charcoal-like color as it crisps up in the oil.

   Tip: Ensure the oil temperature reaches exactly 180°C before adding the chicken to prevent it from absorbing excess oil and becoming greasy.
8. 8Shape the black dough

   

   Place your prepared black pizza dough onto a clean surface generously dusted with yellow cornmeal. Use your hands to gently press and stretch the dough outward from the center, shaping it into a round pizza crust.

   Tip: The yellow cornmeal prevents the dough from sticking to the surface and adds a wonderful crunchy texture to the bottom of the baked crust.
9. 9Spread the pizza sauce

   

   Add a generous amount of your prepared red pizza sauce to the center of the shaped black dough. Use the back of a spoon to spread the sauce evenly outward in a circular motion, leaving a small, clean border for the crust.

   Tip: Spread the sauce quickly and evenly to prevent the raw dough from becoming soggy before it hits the oven.
10. 10Add the cheese layer

    

    Generously sprinkle shredded cheese over the freshly spread pizza sauce, ensuring even coverage across the dark crust. Bake the pizza in a preheated oven until the crust is cooked and the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.

    Tip: Using a blend of cheeses like mozzarella for stretch and cheddar for flavor works great, but ensure its thickly piled to hold the rest of the toppings together.
11. 11Assemble the volcano base

    

    Once the pizza base is fully baked, begin the volcano assembly. Pile the crispy golden potato shreds in the center of the pizza to form the core of your structure. Arrange the large pieces of blackened fried chicken around and on top of the potatoes to complete the mountain shape.

    Tip: Build the potato shreds high and tight in the middle so the chicken pieces have a sturdy structure to lean against without toppling over.
12. 12Add the lava cheese sauce

    

    To complete the dramatic volcano effect, generously pour the warm, bright yellow cheese sauce directly over the top of the blackened fried chicken mound. Allow the rich sauce to overflow and cascade down the sides like molten lava. Garnish with scattered dried cranberries and fresh mint leaves before serving.

    Tip: Serve the pizza immediately while the cheese sauce is still hot and flowing for the best visual presentation and flavor.

Deconstructed Storage

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions