Chicken Pesto Pizza

This is another one from the archives, another testament to the inner chubster who guides my every waking moment with thoughts of food, more food, and "hey, how 'bout s'more food."  

So I think people who look at the recipes on this blog know that I favor simple foods.  Not that I don't enjoy different, exotic, dare-I-say gourmet creations.  It's just that my budget, ability, and time preclude me from fixing them in my own home. I let restaurant chefs have control over the gourmet, and I follow my own personal ethos of simple, satisfying and comforting at home, for the most part.  

Which somehow brings me once again to the topic of pizza, and how much of it I make.  Perhaps its my mild obsession with finding the perfect dough recipe, or a chronic addiction to my pizza stone, an ongoing hunt for fresh and full-fat mozzerella varieties in every store, or just the simple reason that I really, really, really like it that explains why I make pizza so darn much.  

Really, despite its reputation as a "bad for you" food, pizza is only what you put on it.  You could make it entirely without cheese and remove a large portion of the fat & calories. Use whole-grain or whole-wheat flour (unbleached white at the very least, my usual go-to) in the crust and feel better about the carbs. At the very least, you control how much of anything you put on it, so you have a good idea how healthy or indulgent any given pie will be. 

This one came about because of a marriage of circumstances: an abundant CSA share led me to make a huge batch of Basil-Arugula Pesto (recipe below), an aging dough from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day needed to be used up, and some cooked chicken breast (a great thing to make in advance and keep  for quick dinners and add-ins) was on hand.  Huzzah, and behold the Chicken Pesto Pizza!

Unlike many proper pestos, I tend to make mine pretty scant on the olive oil.  As a result, this pizza didn't have the overly oily top that I've seen on restaurant versions.  I "dried" the tomatoes on paper towel before topping the pizza to keep the moisture level down as well (soggy crust is a big no-no in Cheeks' kitchen) and sauteed the mushrooms to deepen their flavor before adding them as well.  A few chunks of fresh mozzerella substituted well for a richer blanketing layer.  Accompanied by a green salad, the humble pesto pizza becomes a rounded and, certainly, healthier take on a much-maligned, but much loved, dish.



Chicken Pesto Pizza
1 lb pizza dough, either homemade or from your local Italian deli/pizza shop
1/3 cup pesto, either homemade or store bought
1/2 cup cooked, chopped chicken breast
4 oz white mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced tomatoes (roma or cherry)
6 oz fresh mozzerella, halved and sliced
Cornmeal, for dusting

Preheat pizza stone in oven at 475 degrees.  Sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel or large baking sheet; set aside.

Wash and slice mushrooms.  Heat a drop of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, then saute mushrooms until browned and some liquid is released, 5 or so minutes.  Season with S&P.  Meanwhile, lay tomato slices on a piece of paper towel, and place another sheet on top.  Press very gently to absorb some of the juices.

With floured hands on a lightly floured surface, press dough into a thick, even 6" round, flipping a few times to evenly coat with flour.  Gently pick up dough and stretch it over the backs of knuckles and using its own weight to further stretch the dough circle.  Keep flouring hands as necessary to prevent dough from sticking.  When a 14" to 16" circle is reached, place dough on prepared peel, giving it a test shake to ensure that it hasn't stuck (you want the dough floured enough that it won't stick to the peel when you shake it onto the stone.  The cornmeal helps keep it off the peel too.)

Spread a thin layer of pesto over the top of the crust, then top with chicken and mushrooms.  Place slices of mozerrella cheese evenly over the top (you're not aiming for full coverage here).  Arrange tomatoe slices evenly over the top.

Using a quick back & forth motion, quickly slide pizza off of peel and onto the baking stone. Cook until crust is golden and pesto is bubbling, about 10-12 minutes.  (If this is too intimidating, or if your crust is stuck, bake the pizza on the sheet for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to help slide the now firmer pizza onto the baking stone.  Let it finish baking directly on the stone, another 5 minutes).

Allow to cool on stone slightly until cutting and serving.


Basil Arugula Pesto
2 cups packed basil leaves
2 cups packed arugula
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
Juice and zest from one lemon
2 Tbsp pine nuts (optional; I never use them, since I never have them)2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
lots of freshly ground pepper

In a food processor, pulse the basil, arugula, cheese, lemon juice & zest (and pine nuts, if using) and garlic until finely chopped and beginning to form a paste.  With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow & steady stream until the pesto comes together.  It should be a fairly thick past but with enough moisture to spread. Season with salt and pepper and store in an airtight container (or freeze).