need a meal that feels like comfort but helps you hit your protein goals? make this high protein buffalo “chicken” pizza made with an easy crust and soy chunks! 53g plant protein.

the inspiration

I really love pizza. I also really love hitting my protein goals. So, this high protein buffalo “chicken” pizza can help me do just that! Using my protein pizza crust plus soy chunks we can create something delicious.

When I bought the soy chunks I really had no intention of making this recipe. However, after trying a few ways of using them with a Vegan Sesame Chicken and Vegan White “Chicken” Chili, I really wanted to try baking them.

So, I figured what would be better than baking them on top of a pizza. They are actually the perfect little nuggety size to go right on top. In the oven the outside gets crispy but they still say soft and moist inside.

what are plant chunks (soy chunks)?

Similar to products like textured vegetable protein or soy curls they are pieces of defatted soybean flour. You need to rehydrate them before you use them. They have no flavor so they are are perfect for using in any recipe.

The macros on them are very good! A serving is ¼ cup (28g) dry. It has 81 calories, 14g protein, 1g of fat, and 9g of carbs. It also has 5g fiber! So, overall I really like that aspect.

You get a 1 pound bag and it says it makes approximately 3.5 pounds worth. While they are a bit on the pricey side at $17.99 per bag. If you divide it by serving (with 16 servings dry) that is about $1.12 per serving. The bag also lasts a long time, so it is something you can keep in the pantry. There are also larger bulk bags to buy if you like.

the ingredients

Soy Chunks: the main star of the show are soy chunks for this recipe. They work really well here as a vegan chicken substitute. They are also perfect because they are in bite-sized pieces! You can substitute this with tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, seitan, or any other store bought vegan chicken product.
Vital Wheat Gluten: this will add protein and texture into our high protein pizza. Vital wheat gluten is not just great for making seitan with, it is great for adding into breads and cakes. I do not have a substitute for this, as it is where most of the protein is coming from.
Bread Flour/ All Purpose Flour: this will add protein and texture into our high protein pizza. Vital wheat gluten is not just great for making seitan with, it is great for adding into breads and cakes. I do not have a substitute for this, as it is where most of the protein is coming from.
Baking Powder: this will be our leavening agent to give the crust nice fluff and chew.
Salt: will add saltiness to the crust.
Apple Cider Vinegar: this helps to make the baking powder rise better because acid plus baking powder creates a chemical reaction. You can try using white vinegar or lemon juice in its place if you need to.
Vegan Yogurt: we will use a Greek-style or unflavored vegan yogurt to make a vegan ranch dressing. You can use anyone you like. I prefer Forager’s Greek-style yogurt, Icelandic Provisions Oatmilk Skyr, or Cocojune plain Greek style yogurt.
Scallions/Green Onion: for garnish on the pizza.
Vegan Cheese: for topping on the pizza. I used Daiya oat cream Mexican-style shreds. You can use anyone you like.
Seasonings: to make our vegan ranch dressing we need garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and dried parsley.

how to make high protein buffalo “chicken” pizza

Rehydrate the soy chunks with boiling water for 10 minutes. Then, drain out the excess water.

Mix the dough ingredients together. Then, spread out onto a ⅛th sheet pan. Use the back of a spoon to spread the dough out evenly on an eighth sheet pan. It will be thin and may have some holes, don’t worry!

Bake the crust at 425°F (218°C) for 5 minutes.

Coat the soy chunks in 1 to 2 teaspoons of buffalo sauce. Add the soy chunks, buffalo sauce, and vegan cheese. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

The vegan cheese will be melty and the crust golden.

Add a vegan yogurt ranch, more buffalo sauce, and scallions. Slice and enjoy.

how does this pizza have 53g protein?

A lot of people don’t always understand how these recipes can have so much protein. So, let me break it down a bit for you!

The protein pizza crust has 35g plant protein. The main protein source being vital wheat gluten, but some comes from the flour as well.

Then, the soy curls have 14g protein per serving and we used 1 serving. That will come out to 49g protein.

The remaining protein comes from the all purpose flour and vegan yogurt ranch. All bundled up in a delicious buffalo “chicken” protein pizza.

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why you’ll love this high protein buffalo “chicken” pizza

First off, my protein pizza recipe in general has been such a hit. So many people have loved it. The crust is soft and chewy. I actually crave the pizza quite often.

So, to then top it with buffalo sauce and vegan ranch is just a dream! The pizza is easy to make and comes together fairly quickly.

There aren’t a lot of steps either. There is no rise time or yeast for the pizza dough. I also like that all you need to do is rehydrate the soy chunks. Then, the oven does all the work.

You can easily customize this with adding in more veggies like red onions on top, a different vegan cheese, or even swap out the buffalo sauce for a barbecue sauce. If you prefer vegan blue cheese over ranch, you can also use a vegan blue cheese dressing. So many endless options!

But what I really love the most is that this recipe doesn’t need any animal products. We don’t need ground chicken or eggs to make something high protein and yummy.

high protein buffalo “chicken” pizza faq

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

It does use soy and gluten. Depending on the vegan yogurt it will be nut free. You cannot make this gluten-free but if you want to make it soy free you can use soy free fava bean tofu.

How do I store leftovers?

You really may not have any left. The pizza is a single serving recipe. However, any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen.

How do I heat this dish up?

You can heat it up in the microwave. If you prefer it crispier use the oven or an air-fryer.

Where can I find soy chunks?

I have never seen them in store but you can order them online. I have links in the blog post and recipe card.

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