BBQ Chicken Pizza

Last night I was supposed to make Thai Chicken Pizza from the recipe in a Clean Eating magazine.  But I didn't have all the ingredients.  The Thai Chicken Pizza called for 4 dates, which I couldn't find at the grocery store, and tomato paste, which I apparently didn't pick up (even thought it was on my list!).  So instead, I made BBQ Chicken Pizza! 

I was inspired by CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza, and the fact that I had chicken, red onions and BBQ sauce in my fridge!  So I just improvised and tried to remember recipes I had seen on blogs, in magazines, etc.  This is what I came up with, and it was really good.

BBQ Chicken Pizza
inspired by The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients: (enough for 2 pizzas made on Naan)
olive oil spray
1 lb chicken tenders
1 C BBQ sauce (more if you like it extra saucy!)
1/4 of a large red onion, thinly sliced
pizza dough or crust (I used Naan bread)
2 C mozzarella cheese
cilantro for garnish

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Meanwhile, spray baking dish with olive oil spray, add chicken and coat with a layer of BBQ sauce (you don't have to go too heavy with the coating of sauce).  Put chicken in oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until done.

While chicken is cooking, slice onions and put BBQ sauce on pizza crust.

After chicken is done, let sit for a few minutes, and then slice. 

Set your oven to broil or increase heat to 425F.  Place mozzarella cheese and chicken on pizza.  You can add more onions or sauce on top of the chicken and cheese.  Put pizza in oven until bubbly and browned!

This is our new favorite pizza!

Chicken and Artichoke Pesto Pizza

This has to be one of my favorite pizza recipes.  And I didn't even come up with it!  The Husband did!  That's right, the Husband.  He went to California with his buddies one year and came home with this idea for pizza.  He thinks the original pizza that he ate on vacation had bacon on it, but I think that was just his way of trying to get me to add bacon to our version.  No such luck.

Here's our bacon-free version of Chicken and Artichoke Pesto Pizza:

Ingredients:
pizza dough or pre-made pizza crust
pesto sauce (either pre-made, home made, or a Knorr packet that you can mix yourself)
2 grilled chicken breasts (or Perdue short-cuts, or something similar)
1 can quartered artichoke hearts in water
reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese or fresh mozz (I used a combo of both)
fresh basil

I forgot to add the chicken!  Don't worry - threw it on before it baked

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven according to directions of your dough/crust
Assemble pizza by spreading dough with the pesto, then piling on the artichoke hearts and chicken
Top with cheese and garnish with fresh basil.
Bake in oven
Enjoy!

Tuesday Edition: Kitchen Tip

"Pizza" uploaded to Flickr by Seth W.



I love making homemade pizza.  But I refuse to make my own dough.  I have never done that, but it seems to be too time consuming.  I need fast.

There are different types of pre-made dough at the store - from the one in the tube to the ones that the bakery makes fresh each day and you just have to stretch it out.  The tube one is okay.  And it is fast.  I don't get along with the pre-made ball of dough from the bakery - no matter what I do, it never stretches.  It just ends up like a slightly flattened ball.

There are also pre-made pizza crusts - the Boboli and what have you.  They are tasty - but expensive and sometimes high in calories and fat.

So instead, I have officially adopted any type of flat bread as our pizza crust. My favorites include: store made Naan bread (It's thin, it's light.  I can grill it or I can put it in the oven.  It is perfect!), Flat-Out flatbread, and for smaller pizzas - pitas! 

So my tip - instead of the usual high calorie, high fat, pre-made doughs and crusts, try any type of flat bread for your next pizza!



Tofu Garden Pizza

With all the yummy desserts I featured last Friday, I felt I should post something a little healthier for Monday! 

I did have a great time at the shower.  I got to see friends and Godchildren.  What is better than that?

Of course there was great food.  It was a brunch (I love brunch) and there was delicious chicken Marsala, yummy fruit and to-die-for raspberry cheese blintzes.  If that wasn't enough, there were some yummy desserts too - fresh cake and homemade chocolates.  AND - best of all - homemade chocolate covered Oreos.  I ate waaaayyyy too much.  But it was so good!!

So in honor of getting back on track, here is a quick healthy pizza that you can whip up on the grill.  This will make enough tofu for 2 pizzas and then 2 wraps for the next day.

Tofu Garden Pizza
Ingredients:
1 pkg extra firm or firm tofu, pressed and sliced
1/3 C vinaigrette salad dressing (I used lite Caesar, but you can use what you prefer)
2 Flat Out Healthy Grain flatbread (you can use pizza dough or prepared crust, whatever you prefer)
1 ripe avocado, sliced and cubed
2 heaping handfuls of baby spinach
1/4 C vinaigrette salad dressing for "sauce" on pizza (use as much or as little as you want)
1/2 C grape tomatoes, cut in half
sliced or crumbled goat cheese (as much as your heart desires!)

Instructions:
marinate tofu in the salad dressing for as long as time permits.  (thankfully I remembered to do this early, before dinner time!)

After marinating, discard extra marinade and grill tofu until desired doneness - usually about 3-4 minutes on each side.  Slice or cube the tofu into smaller pieces.

Grill the flatbread on one side for a few minutes, flip over and add sauce.  Top pizza with toppings, including the tofu.  Close grill cover for 2-3 minutes to let cheese melt and spinach wilt. 

pizza and extra tofu grilling

Remove from grill, and your pizza is done!

It came out so yummy!  But what I loved even more is the wrap I made with the exact same ingredients the next day.  Instead of grilling, just place all the ingredients on the wrap and wrap it up for a sandwich for lunch. Yum!!!

And yes, I only made 2 pizzas, but all three of us ate dinner.  The Toddler does love tofu and she ate half a pizza, all the time saying "tofu good taste!"  The Husband ate the other half of the pizza and then went to play hockey.  He doesn't like to eat too much before a game!

Do you have any good pizza recipes that would make a good wrap for lunch the next day??  If so, please share!