Chicken Margherita Pizza

Friday night I love to make pizza. When deciding what kind to make last night, I took to my kitchen for inspiration. Upon finding mozzarella cheese and sun dried tomatoes, I knew I wanted to do a spin on Margherita. The outcome was chicken Margherita, a fine example of the endless possibilities of pizza.

Using this recipe, I baked the dough for 15 minutes before adding the toppings. This helps eliminate the doughy center so it’s not too soft in the middle. Once pre-baked, I topped the dough with this sauce, fresh basil leaves, mozzarella slices, sun dried tomatoes, and shredded chicken. (I baked chicken breast while the sauce was simmering, but I just as easily could’ve used rotisserie chicken.) I baked it for 18 minutes more before feasting on my Friday night favorite.

This recipe needs some toying with. It’d be fantastic on a flatbread, and the chicken and tomatoes need to be under the cheese to prevent unnecessary charring. However, the flavors are bright and balanced and it’s a fun alternative to a classic Margherita. I’ll be trying it again soon.

Chicken Pizza Quesadilla

I had every intention of running to the grocery store today, but time seemed to tick faster than usual and spending the evening watching television in my pajamas was far more appealing. In an effort to consume something more substantial than raisin bran, I scoured my larder for makeshift meal ingredients. My promising findings consisted of chicken, tortillas, leftover pizza sauce, and cheese, resulting in a chicken pizza quesadilla. All the best recipes are created in desperation, right?

To make: start by cooking 1 breast of cubed chicken in oil over medium heat. Salt and pepper. In a separate pan, melt 1/2 tbsp butter over medium heat and lay a tortilla in the pan. In the pan with the chicken, simmer 1 cup of pizza sauce. Top the tortilla with the chicken and pizza sauce mixture and add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Add another tortilla on top. Once the bottom tortilla is crispy, flip the quesadilla and leave in pan until the second tortilla is crispy. Remove from the pan and enjoy!