Thursday, June 3, 2010

BBQ Chicken Pizza

My family begs me to make them this homemade pizza every time I go home for a visit. We are a pizza-loving family and this is one of our favourites! This homemade pizza crust recipe is super simple to make and I encourage you to try it out if you've never made a homemade crust before. But, if you'd rather not, then a storebought pizza crust or dough will work just fine. I have made this using real chicken (for the family) and Gardein imitation chicken breast (for me and the vegetarian crowd), so I can vouch for its deliciousness no matter the dietary preferences.

Pizza Crust Ingredients:

1 tsp. instant or active dry yeast
1 and ½ cups warm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
⅓ cups olive oil
If you want a more flavorful crust then feel free to add in some herbs and  spices of your choice. Depending on what I'm in the mood for and the kind of pizza I'm making I like to add in dried basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, garlic, paprika, cayenne, or whatever else may be in my spice cupboard into my dough.

Pizza Crust Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over 1 and 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.

In a mixer, combine flour and salt. Also mix in any additional spices or seasonings you are using. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass. If you don't have a large stand mixer then just use your hands to combine the dough ingredients.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it. It is best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance - 3 or 4 days in advance is even better. This gives the dough time to develop more richer, complex flavors (or get really tasty).

When you are ready to make the pizza, divide the dough into two equal balls (this recipe makes 2 whole pizza crusts). You can roll out the pizza with a rolling pin if you’d like, but it’s just as easy to throw it around and pull and stretch till it feels right. And when the crust is nice and thin, lay it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan.



Pizza Topping Ingredients:

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup BBQ sauce - Use whatever type you like. I use either Bullseye Honey Garlic or Bold Original, or Diane's.
Olive oil, for drizzling
16 oz. Monteray Jack cheese, sliced thinly
½ a red onion, thinly sliced
2 green peppers, finely diced
4 green onions, chopped


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Salt chicken breasts on both sides, then place in an ovenproof dish. Pour BBQ sauce over the breasts and turn them over to coat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove from oven let cool slightly, and cut into small cubes. Set aside.
 
Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F.

Roll/stretch out one pizza crust. Lay it on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Spoon a couple of Tbsp. of extra BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly. Top sauce with half the sliced Monteray Jack. Sprinkle on half the diced chicken, thinly sliced red onions, green peppers, and green onions.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly. Remove from the oven, cut into squares and serve immediately. Repeat with other crust and other half of ingredients.


*Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

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