Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Bart and I absolutely love this pizza. How much Alyssa and Joshua like it depends on how they are tolerating spice that day. Overall, they really enjoy this, too. We like to serve it with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing. Alyssa likes to drizzle the blue cheese dressing over each slice to help cool down the spice. The recipe comes from Quick Cooking--but I've changed how I prepare it to match my favorite way to make pizza. I'm including both versions below so you can decide how you want to make it.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza (original version)

Ingredients

1 tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
1 cup buffalo wing sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 teaspoon each garlic salt, pepper and chili powder
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Celery sticks and blue cheese salad dressing

Directions

•Unroll pizza crust into a lightly greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; flatten dough and build up edges slightly. Bake at 400° for 7 minutes. Brush dough with 3 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce. Combine cheddar and mozzarella cheeses; sprinkle a third over the crust. Set aside.

•In a large skillet, cook the chicken, garlic salt, pepper and chili powder in butter until chicken is no longer pink. Add the remaining wing sauce; cook and stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Spoon over cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and remaining cheese.

•Bake for 18-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve with celery and blue cheese dressing. Yield: 8 slices, 4 servings.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza (Valerie's version)

1 recipe pizza dough (see my favorite recipe posted on this site--I make it in my food processor)
1 cup buffalo wing sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (I don't really measure the cheese--I just add however much looks good)
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 teaspoon each garlic salt, pepper and chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (for each pizza)
Celery sticks and blue cheese salad dressing

Directions

Place a large pizza stone in the oven and preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Make pizza dough according to recipe and let rise.

In a large skillet, cook the chicken, garlic salt, pepper and chili powder in butter until chicken is no longer pink. Add the wing sauce, reserving 6 tablespoons; cook and stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside.

Divide dough in half and stretch out each half into a circle as large as you can get it, leaving edges slightly thicker (I like a crisp crust). Let rest for about 15 minutes. Brush one circle of dough with 3 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce. Using a peel, slide dough into oven on top of stone (make sure the peel is floured well so the dough doesn't stick--then use a quick jerk motion to move the crust from the peel to the stone). Bake for 4 to 5 minutes. Use peel to remove from oven.

Combine cheddar and mozzarella cheeses; sprinkle a thin layer over the partially baked crust. Spoon half of chicken mixture over cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and some more cheese (however much you like).

Return to oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve with celery and blue cheese dressing. Repeat with remaining dough.

Yield: 2 pizzas (8 slices each)