BBQ Chicken Pizza

MMMmmmm Pizza…

I know it is not Friday or even remotely close to it but I just couldn’t resist. This pizza is like my all time favorite comfort food. I seriously cannot ever turn down a BBQ chicken pizza. The weird thing is they aren’t all that easy to come by, which is crazy! If you have ever dined at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) then you probably have encountered the BBQ Chicken Pizza. It is delicious! It changed the way I looked at pizza. I now know that you can put anything on pizza and it will probably be delicious. I have had egg, clams, potatoes, every vegetable imaginable, pickles, and all were yummy. (Not all on the same pizza)

Whenever the hubs and I are debating what to make for dinner we usually get to a point where one of us suggests pizza. Of course we both agree and then decide that we have to make pizza that requires thought and preparation. What is wrong with us? We can never make just a regular pepperoni or cheese pizza. Side note: I do not eat pepperoni pizza and basically refuse to order it always. I will however make BBQ chicken pizza or some sort of veggie pizza any time and any place. I also like to make pizzas with all the cheeses and roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes. You might also find me messing around with cured meats of some kind. The truth is, I will take BBQ chicken over any and all of it.

There is something about BBQ that is really comforting. It makes me think of summer and being a little girl playing in the backyard while my parents plan some delicious summer feast. It makes me think of eating with my hands and being intentionally messy. I think about sweet and tangy sauce all over my face and not being bothered at all. When you combine all of those memories in to a dish that is über comforting like pizza you might find it hard to say no. Also, I added grilled pineapple (I Know RIGHT?!?!?) which probably took this pizza to the next level for us.

Can we pause for a second. I need to take a minute to talk about this whole life business. Do you ever have days where you think you are just not winning at this life stuff? I sometimes find myself in these moods where I feel like I am completely falling behind on all of the things I am supposed to be doing in my life. I feel like I made this vow to be more involved and then I find myself wishing I had not made that vow. I am not sure if I feel overwhelmed or if I am feeling like there are too many things I could do and not enough time to do them? Where is all of the time?

This pizza helps! I can do more adulting after enjoying my favorite pizza in the entire world. I think if you make this pizza you are going to feel much better about life too. Alright, off I go to be productive. Really must be productive! I hope you love this pizza because I love it.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

June 2, 2015

by hautepepper

Category Recipes

Persons

1

Notes

I purchased my balsamic glaze but you can make this on your own by heating balsamic vinegar with sugar or honey in a pan and letting it simmer until it reduces to become a sticky syrup texture. This takes time so you might want to just buy it so you always have some on hand!

Ingredients

• Prepared Pizza Dough (I use Trader Joe's)
• 4-5 Chicken Tenders
• 1 Red Onion
• 1/2 Cup Cold Water
• 2 Fresh Pineapple Slices
• BBQ Sauce (we LOVE Sweet Baby Ray's)
• 1 Pkg. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 2 Tbsp. Canola Oil
• Cilantro (Optional)

Instructions

1. Marinate chicken strips in a simple marinade of chicken seasoning, salt & pepper, canola oil, and garlic powder. Feel free to marinate them however you like, anything goes!
2. While the chicken marinates, slice the red onion in to 1/2 inch slices and soak in cold water. The water helps to take away some of the bite of the red onion. Brush grill with canola oil before preheating. Once preheated place pineapple slices on the grill over low heat. Pineapple contains sugar which will cause it to burn faster to keep a close eye on them. Flip after 1 minute or 2 and grill on the other side. Remove the pineapple slices and allow to cool before dicing in to small pieces.
3. Place marinated chicken strips on the grill and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until done. In the last minutes of cooking brush some bbq sauce on them so they get a good coating. Remove cooked chicken from grill and dice in to bite sized pieces.
4. Assemble pizza by rolling out dough to desired thickness. Apply bbq sauce to the dough instead of pizza sauce. Top with the red onion, chicken, pineapple and cheese. Bake in an oven at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until crust starts to brown and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and garnish with chopped cilantro and balsamic glaze. You can also cook this on the grill if you are inclined.

Tags

Adulting,

BBQ,

BBQ Sauce,

Cheese,

Chicken,

Cilantro,

Comfort Food,

Grilling,

Onion,

Pineapple,

Pizza,

Summer

http://www.hautepepperbites.com/2015/06/02/bbq-chicken-pizza/