Pizza has always been my weakness - it has always been a go-to whenever I was having a bad day and needed a quick pick-me-up. Working in NYC has made it even more challenging to control my pizza cravings when there's at least five shops nearby selling those cheap, greasy wedges of urban gastronomical bliss.
This version pays homage to one of my favorite pizzas from the West Coast - the infamous Garlic Chicken Pizza from Round Table. A whole wheat crust becomes the canvas for layers of color and texture - bright plum tomatoes, chicken breast, spongy mushrooms, and slightly caramelized spring onions - with the subtle hints of garlic, cheese and parmesan dressing accenting and enhancing every bite. This dish is perfect to cook ahead of time and store in the freezer as individual slices - so when a craving hits, they're perfect to be reheated every time.
(makes 8 slices with a regular crust, or 16 slices with a thin crust)
1 tsp. olive oil
16 oz. whole wheat pizza dough (I recommend the Trader Joe's brand)
8 oz. raw chicken breast
8 oz. mushrooms
1 medium plum tomato (about 2.2 oz.)
1/2 cup spring onions
4 tsp. crushed garlic
6 tbsp. Ken's Lite Parmesan & Peppercorn Dressing
1 1/4 cups Lite Mexican Cheese Blend
Salt and pepper to taste
*(Please note - in order to maximize the stretch of your pizza dough, it is recommended to leave your dough out at room temperature for a least 20 minutes before attempting to form the crust.)
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (for regular crust) or 550 degrees F (for thin crust) for at least 20-40 minutes.
2. On a baking sheet, cover the surface with the olive oil.
3. Cut chicken into 1/4 inch cubes and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. Chop spring onions and tomato, and slice mushrooms to a desired size suitable for pizza toppings. Set aside.
5. Take pizza dough and stretch it to your desired size (by either using a rolling pin or by hand) and lay on top of the baking sheet.
6. Spread dressing and garlic on the top surface of the pizza dough.
7. Layer 3/4 cup cheese on top of the dressing and garlic.
8. Layer mushrooms, spring onions, tomatoes, and chicken.
9. Add the last 1/2 cup cheese over all the toppings to secure the toppings on the pizza.
10. Bake the pizza for at least 25-30 minutes (regular) or 15-20 minutes (thin) until the chicken is cooked thoroughly and the cheese is melted.
Labels: cheese, chicken breast, dressing, garlic, italian, mushrooms, pizza, recipe, spring onion, tomato, whole wheat
