BBQ Chicken Pizza with Homemade Crust

Basic Pizza Crust

Both recipes by The Pioneer Woman
makes 2 crusts

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon instant or active dry yeast
• 1-1/2 cup warm water
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup EVOO

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.  Let stand for a few minutes.
2. In a mixer, combine flour and salt.  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.
3. 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.
4. *Note: it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

TO PREPARE IMMEDIATELY for recipes requiring precooked pizza dough (not for the recipe below):

1. When you are ready to make the pizza, grab HALF the pizza dough (recipe makes 2 crusts) and squeeze the dough toward the bottom to form a nice, tight, pulled ball.  Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough.  When the crust is nice and thin, lay it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan.  Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and spread it with your fingers.  Very lightly sprinkle some salt on the crust.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Top your crust with your toppings of choice. Then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

BBQ Chicken Pizza
makes 2 pizzas


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 whole recipe for pizza crust (makes two crusts) 
• 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 1/2 cup homemade barbecue sauce (see here)
• EVOO, for drizzling 
• salt for sprinkling 
• 16 ounces, weight fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly 
• 1/2 whole red onion, cut in half and sliced very thin 
• chopped cilantro, to taste 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. 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 and cut into a fine dice.  Set aside.
3. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.
4. Roll out one pizza crust.  Lay it on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil.  Drizzle a little olive oil on the crust, then sprinkle on a little salt.
5. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of extra BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly.  Top sauce with half the sliced mozzarella.  Sprinkle on half the diced chicken and thinly sliced red onion.
6. Sprinkle again with a little salt, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.
7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle on plenty of chopped cilantro.  Cut into squares and serve immediately.  Repeat with other crust and other ingredients, or save for another time.

I love my new rolling pin!!

I used a little more than 2 tablespoons for each of my pizzas... :x

YUM!

-Alyssa