Chicken Pizza

How would you like to make your pizza from scratch??? The exact method for creating a pizza is simple, though it does vary a little by recipe.You can begin by making the dough. The basic ingredients for dough are water, flour, salt, and yeast. Variations include olive oil, sugar, and spices. The sauce comes next. Most pizzas have a tomato sauce with ingredients like basil, olive oil, and garlic, but there are tons of alternatives and additional flavors one could add. After that there are the cheese and toppings. Almost any type of cheese can be used, but I used mozzarella and cheddar. You can put the toppings on over the cheese so that they can be shown off...:) or put the toppings underneath the cheese so that the toppings can become extra bubbly. The beauty of it is that there is no right way to do it – making your own homemade pizza ensures that the best possible recipe is created for everyone's enjoyment! 

My recipe here is adapted and adjusted according to my taste... :)...but....as I have seen that it is enjoyed by others too...I have decided to put it up...for anyone who might like to have a go at making their own pizza including the dough... Good luck !! :)

                        Chicken Pizza with Tomatoes, Capsicum and Onions

For the dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• approx. 1 cup very warm water
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoon active dry yeast

Combine water, sugar, and butter/oil in a bowl.

Mix wheat flour, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl; stir well. Gradually add the warm liquid mixture, beating with your hand or an electric mixer at low speed for one minute.

Add egg, and beat an additional 2 minutes at medium speed. Gradually add all- purpose flour to make a soft dough. Add more water or flour if necessary. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes). 

Turn the dough inside out and with the seam side down, put the dough in a large bowl coated with oil. Coat the dough also with a little oil. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap.Keep it in a warm place undisturbed and free from drafts.

Let the dough rise and double in size.(maybe 1 hour or more depending on the weather) After it has doubled, punch down and divide into 3 equal balls and let it rest for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Then place one of the balls on a buttered pan and flatten it with your palm. Now, slightly stretch it to all sides with your palm, retaining the circular shape...to about 10 inch diameter. Do this slowly allowing the dough to rest for five minutes in between. Your pizza base is ready. Add the sauce and toppings.

Toppings (for 3 pizzas):

• 1 cup pizza sauce 
• 3 chicken breasts (or an equivalent amount), cooked and diced
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 green peppers/capsicum chopped
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic grated
• 1/4 teaspoon red chilly powder
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

To brush on:

• olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

(The chicken used can be of any flavour and the taste of your topping depends on it. I would suggest garlic chicken or chicken tikkas.)

Preheat the oven to 450 degree F.

Mix the vegetables with the grated garlic, chilly powder, olive oil and some salt. 

Prick the base all over with a fork.Crush the garlic and add it to some warm olive oil.Allow it to infuse for some time. Then brush the base liberally with this and pour 1/3 of the sauce onto it.

Arrange the vegetables and chicken.

Drizzle with more oil.

Bake the pizza for about 10 minutes and then take it out and add the cheese. Brush all over with eggwash (egg beaten with little milk and a pinch of salt)

Bake again for another 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown in colour and the cheese has melted and browned. The bottom of the crust will be light brown.

Serve immediately.