Southwest Chicken Pizza
Serve this whole-meal pizza with a dollop of sour cream and extra picante sauce on the side. Use ready-to-eat mesquite-flavored or smoked chicken from the supermarket to save time.
Makes two 12-inch pizzas
INGREDIENTS
- ½ recipe Cornmeal Crust dough or Pepper Crust dough
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal or 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ cups Picante Sauce
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby cheese
- 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
- 3 cups diced mesquite-grilled or smoked chicken breast
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 cup black beans, drained
- 1 cup roasted corn
- 1 cup diced red or green bell pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped red onion
- ⅓ cup minced cilantro
Roll or press pizza dough into two 12-inch circles, slightly thicker at the edges than in the center. If using pizza pans, sprinkle the bottom with cornmeal or coat with olive oil and place dough in pan. If using a pizza stone, sprinkle with cornmeal and place stone in oven. Preheat oven to 400°.
Spread ¾ cup picante sauce in the center of each pizza, leaving edges bare.
Sprinkle 1 cup Cheddar or Colby over the sauce on each pizza. Distribute 1 cup Monterey jack evenly over each pizza, leaving one inch around the edges bare.
Spread chicken evenly over the cheese on each pizza. Sprinkle tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell pepper, onion, and cilantro over the chicken.
If baking on a hot stone or tiles, use a well-floured pizza peel to carefully lift one pizza from preparation surface and place on stone. If using pizza pans, place first pizza in the center of the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and toppings are bubbly.
Remove pizza from oven carefully (use peel if baking with a stone). Set aside to rest briefly before slicing. Repeat baking process with second pie.
