Barbecue Chicken and Grape Pizza
| Serves | 6 |
|---|---|
| Menu Part | Entree |
Chef Scott Samuel
Culinary Institute of America
St. Helena, Calif.
The combination of fruit, chicken, barbecue sauce and cheese makes for a colorful pizza that offers a little something different. Chef Samuel specifically created this mix of toppings to appeal to kids. Young cooks can participate in making and kneading the dough, too.
Ingredients
Pizza dough
2 cups warm water
½ oz. active dry yeast
½ oz. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. honey
1 ½ lb. bread flour
Pizza and toppings
2 balls pizza dough (6 oz. each)
Unbleached all-purpose flour, for dusting
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup barbecue sauce, divided
12 oz. chicken breasts
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced, shredded or cut into small chunks
2 cups seedless red grapes
16 fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp. grated Pecorino Romano
Steps
- For dough: In stand mixer bowl with dough hook, combine water, yeast, olive oil, salt and honey; blend 2 minutes. Slowly add flour, mixing until a smooth, elastic dough forms. With dough hook in place, knead dough for 12 minutes.
- Allow dough to proof in bowl until doubled in size. Punch dough down and scale off to 4-ounce balls. Brush each dough ball with oil; place in a cool place until ready to bake.
- For barbecue chicken: Preheat oven to 400 F. In small bowl, toss chicken breasts with ½ cup barbecue sauce. Grill chicken over medium heat until nicely charred and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Cool and cut into bite-sized pieces; set aside.
- To bake each pizza: Place a baking stone on middle shelf of oven; preheat to 450° F or at least 30 minutes. Roll dough ball out on lightly floured surface; transfer to a peel or inverted sheet pan that has been dusted with flour.
- Mix olive oil with remaining ¼ cup barbecue sauce; spread about 2 tablespoons sauce over surface of the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border uncovered. Arrange half the mozzarella over top of pizza; place half the diced barbecue chicken evenly over pizza. Top with 1 cup grapes.
- Carefully slide pizza from peel to baking stone; bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until crust is puffy and slightly charred on the edge and thinner in the center.
- Remove from oven and top with fresh basil leaves and 1 tablespoon grated Pecorino. Slice into quarters and serve.
Photograph courtesy of California Table Grape Commission