Chicken Pesto Pizza
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Provides a Tasty Twist on a Classic Pizza
Chicken and pesto pizza is a terrific appetizer, or a tasty and special light main course paired with a salad. This recipe kicks up the taste a few notches with the addition of sun dried tomatoes to the pesto sauce. Use a store-bought, thin crust to cut down on prep time, or try the recipe here for simple pizza dough to make it truly homemade.
The pizza can be made in a traditional circle, or use a standard sized baking sheet to make a rectangular pizza that can be cut into small squares for appetizers.
Fontina cheese is light and soft, with a slightly nutty flavour. This cheese balances nicely with the tomato pesto and chicken, and it melts very well. Thinly sliced fresh mozzarella may be substituted for the fontina cheese, if desired.
Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pizza
- prepared pizza crust (purchased or made from recipe, below)
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato pesto (recipe below)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 8 ounces fontina cheese, thinly sliced
Prepare sun-dried tomato pesto; refrigerate. Prepare dough for pizza crust and arrange on baking sheet or pizza pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Season chicken pieces with basil, salt, and pepper; add to oil in the skillet and cook, turning the chicken to brown all sides, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle - about 5-7 minutes.
Spread pesto sauce over pizza crust. Top with chicken pieces and red onions. Arrange cheese slices on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted and pizza is hot. Let stand five minutes before slicing. Serve warm.
Makes 8 slices, or 16 appetizers.
Simple Pizza Crust
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- non-stick cooking spray
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to mix thoroughly. Slowly add water and oil, mixing well to form dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough 8-10 times. Roll pizza dough out to fit pizza pan or baking sheet. Lightly spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray and place the dough in the pan, gathering edges to form an outside crust. Add toppings and bake according to recipe above.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes (not the ones packed in oil)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts * (see note below)
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon fresh Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Place sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand about 30 minutes, or until softened. Drain the tomatoes, reserving 3/4 cup of the liquid.
In a food processor, mince the pine nuts and garlic. Add the softened tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, and parsley and continue processing until a coarse mixture forms. With the processor running, slowly add the reserved water from the sun-dried tomatoes, a little at a time, until a smooth mixture forms. It should be the consistency of a thick tomato sauce.
Pour pesto into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes one cup.
* Note: To toast pine nuts, preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until fragrant. Remove the baking sheet from the oven occasionally and shake it gently to turn the nuts as they are toasting. Allow the nuts to cool, and store in a zippered bag or airtight container.
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