Mmm…pizza. Everyone loves pizza. Being from NY (and a lent observer), pizza was a big part of my life growing up. My family would go to the pizzeria often, but oddly enough, I’d always get a rice ball or something besides a slice. As a kid, I was an extremely picky eater. I mean I used to peel the cheese off my pizza! Now I couldn’t image pizza without it.
Sure, grabbing a slice is a quick meal, but making your own at home is almost as simple…and it’s definitely more fun! You can find pizza dough in most supermarkets. It’s usually in the refrigerated biscuit section (where they keep those delicious crescent rolls). You can also go to your local pizza shop, and buy some of theirs. This recipe is quick and easy since most of the ingredients are store-bought and there is barely any cooking required. Feel free to change-up your ingredients…there are endless combinations!! You can even throw your leftovers onto the crust for a brand new meal. Pair your barbecue chicken pizza with a cold brown or amber lager.
- 1 refrigerated pizza crust
- 6-8 oz shredded cheese like cheddar, monterey or mozzarella (I use a combination of all three pre-shredded)
- ¾ cup of your favorite barbecue sauce, plus a little extra for placing on crust
- 2 cooked chicken breasts shredded or cubed (I boil my breasts in heavily seasoned water for about 20-30 minutes or until fully cooked)
- ¼ of a large red onion, sliced thin
- large handful of baby arugula
- a few very-thin slices of jalapeño pepper
- Preheat oven to temperature indicated on pizza dough package.
- Combine the shredded chicken with ¾ cup of bbq sauce.
- Spray some cooking spray or olive oil onto a pizza stone or baking sheet. Roll out pizza dough into a rectangle or circular shape. You’ll want to spread it fairly thin as it shrinks a little when cooked, about ¼” or so. The package directions may show the size to spread the dough too. My pizza was about 14 inches by 8 inches.
- Spread a bit of bbq sauce over the dough. Top with cheese.
- Top with chicken mixture, then red onions, jalapeños, and arugula.
- Bake in the oven according to directions.
- Let cool, cut and enjoy!
