My coworker brought these to a potluck and nobody believed they were low carb. Just 3 ingredients. Crispy little bites that taste like pizza night.

These low carb 3-ingredient chicken crust pizza patties remind me of the kind of potluck surprises you only find in small towns—those dishes everyone crowds around, asking for the recipe before they’ve even finished their first bite. A coworker of my daughter’s brought a pan of these to a work potluck, and no one believed they were low carb or that the base was just seasoned chicken and cheese. They bake up into crispy little rounds with a juicy chicken center, a smear of tomato sauce, and bubbly browned mozzarella on top—like pizza night shrunk down into tidy, hand-held bites. With only three ingredients and a sheet pan, they’re the sort of practical, no-fuss recipe that fits right into a busy week or a church basement supper table.

Serve these warm right off the tray with a simple green salad dressed in vinegar and oil, or a side of roasted vegetables for a full low-carb supper. At a potluck, I like to arrange them on a platter with a small bowl of extra tomato sauce for dipping. They’re also good alongside a crockpot of Italian-style green beans or a big bowl of coleslaw, the way we’d round out a pizza night in the Midwest when feeding a crowd. Leftovers make an easy lunch, tucked into a lunchbox with a few raw veggies and pickles.

Servings: 12 patties

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (not extra lean, for juicier patties)

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, and lightly grease the foil with a bit of oil or nonstick spray so the patties release easily.

In a medium bowl, set aside 3/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese for topping later. You’ll use the remaining 3/4 cup in the chicken mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken and 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Use clean hands or a sturdy spoon to mix until the cheese is evenly worked into the chicken. The mixture will be sticky, like a soft meatball mixture.

With slightly damp hands to prevent sticking, divide the chicken mixture into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten it into a round patty about 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide and around 1/2 inch thick.

Arrange the patties on the foil-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one so the edges can brown and crisp. Make sure they are in a single layer and not touching.

Bake the patties in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the chicken is mostly cooked through and the edges are starting to look set and lightly golden. They do not need to be fully browned yet, as they will go back in the oven.

Carefully remove the tray from the oven. Using a spoon, dab or spread about 2 teaspoons of pizza sauce onto the top of each partially baked patty, keeping it mostly in the center so the edges can stay a bit crisp.

Sprinkle the reserved 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauced patties, dividing it among all 12. It’s fine if a little cheese spills over the sides; those bits will brown nicely on the foil.

Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 8–10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and starting to brown in spots, and the chicken patties reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If you like extra browning on the cheese, you can switch the oven to broil for the last 1–2 minutes, watching closely so they don’t burn.

Remove from the oven and let the pizza patties rest on the tray for 5 minutes. This helps the cheese set slightly and makes them easier to lift off the foil without breaking. Gently loosen each patty from the foil with a thin spatula and transfer to a serving plate.

Serve warm, as little pizza-style bites. They’ll have a golden, slightly crisp edge of chicken with juicy centers, topped with a light layer of tomato sauce and bubbly mozzarella, just like a mini pizza night on a sheet pan.

You can dress these up a bit while still keeping the spirit of the original three-ingredient idea. If you don’t mind adding a fourth ingredient, a pinch of dried Italian seasoning or garlic powder mixed into the ground chicken will give them more of that classic pizzeria flavor. For a spicier version, use a spicy pizza sauce or sprinkle a little crushed red pepper over the cheese before baking. If you’re cooking for folks who like different toppings, you can press a single pepperoni slice or a few sliced olives on top of the cheese before the final bake—just remember that anything beyond the chicken, cheese, and sauce is an optional extra. Ground turkey can be used in place of ground chicken, but choose one with a bit of fat so the patties don’t dry out. For food safety, always keep the raw ground chicken chilled until you’re ready to mix and shape the patties, wash your hands and any surfaces or utensils that touch the raw meat, and cook the patties until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Leftovers should be cooled, then refrigerated within 2 hours and eaten within 3–4 days, or frozen for longer storage; reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before serving.