Thursday, 11 August 2016

Ditch the Delivery: A Healthy (and delicious) Pizza Recipe That You’ll Love


Superman has kryptonite and humans have pizza. A cheesy, garnished to perfection, oven roasted pie is a delicacy that no one on Earth can resist—even personal trainers. As magnificent as this classic Italian dish is, it’s often not the healthiest of meals to consume. Yes, it’s true that pizza contains all the ingredients for a nutritious and well-balanced meal—dairy, protein, grains, and vegetables—however, the pizza that we’re eating is usually the high fat, high calorie, and high sodium kind from the neighbourhood fast-food joint or frozen food aisle at the grocer's. That greasy slice may look simply irresistible, but it’s doing damage to your body.

It’s time to say goodbye to delivery (and Delissio) and nourish your body with something that’s both healthy and tasty. This Mediterranean Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza recipe will get your taste buds jumping with its unique combination of savoury, sweet, and tart. With just one bite of this delicious pizza, you’ll be transported from your kitchen table to a quaint bistro in Santorini overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Enough talk, lets eat!

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza (with Feta and Balsamic Gaze)


Ingredients  


For the Dough:


3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon honey or sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Chicken:


1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound chicken breast, pounded thin

For the Balsamic Drizzle:


1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Toppings:


2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 cup kasseri or mozzarella 
(shredded)
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1 roasted red pepper, sliced

Directions


For the Dough:

  1. Mix the water, honey and yeast and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes, before mixing in the oil, flour and salt until it forms a ball.
  2. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth and elastic, adding enough flour to prevent it from sticking, about 5 minutes.
  3. Oil a large bowl, place the dough in it, cover it and let it rise to doubles in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

For the Chicken:


  1. Mix all of the ingredients together, place in a sealed container along with the chicken and let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes
  2. Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until cooked, about 3-6 minutes per side, before setting aside to rest for 5 minutes and slicing.

 For the Balsamic Drizzle:


6.    Bring the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until it has reduced by half and thickened, about 10-15 minutes.

Assembling the Pizza:


  1. Shape the pizza dough into the desired form on a baking sheet, brush with the mixture of the olive oil, garlic and oregano, sprinkle on the cheeses, chicken and roasted red peppers.
  2. Bake in a preheated 500F/260C oven until the cheese has melted and the crust is crispy and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
  3. Drizzle the balsamic reduction on the pizza and enjoy!

Serving option: If you can’t resist dipping sauces, homemade tzatziki compliments this pizza recipe beautifully. 



Photo credit: Courtesy of Pixabay / Kevin Lynch, courtesy of Closet cooking
Recipe by: Kevin Lynch of Closet Cooking

No comments: