BBQ, Buffalo Chicken, and Margarita Pizza - Fast!

A few weeks ago, Jenn came back from visiting Caroline with a great recipe for Buffalo Chicken Pizza.  For a few years now, I have really struggled with making pizza. I have tried all kinds of techniques for making the dough - and have failed at all of them!  Whipping up a sauce or slapping down toppings I can do - but making the crust is not my strength.  Jenn had the answer; they used a premade crust and it was even whole wheat at that. So, when I swallowed my pride and used the shrink wrapped crust, I also realized that pizza could now be made very, very easy.  The buffalo chicken recipe is really yummy, and making a reduced fat blue cheese dressing as part of the topping eases some of the guilt. Likewise, the barbecue chicken pizza is equally delicious and using the South Beach diet recipe for BBQ sauce, makes it a bit more healthy. Finally, for garlic lovers, a margarita pizza is included. The blend of basil, tomatoe, and melted fresh mozzerella cheese is just divine!

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

1 prepared pizza crust or pizza dough rolled out and ready to go

¾ cup prepared BBQ sauce (use bottled or diet recipe below)

5 or so thinly cut slices from a red onion

1 cup smoked white cheese sauce as Gouda, shredded

1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (2 chicken breasts)

1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions or chopped parsley

 Brush the pizza crust with a little of the BBQ sauce.  Mix the rest of the BBQ sauce with the chopped chicken and spread evenly over the crust.  Mix the two cheeses together and spread them on top of the chicken.  Separate the onion slices into rings and place them on top.  Bake at 450 degrees for 13 minutes.  After baking, garnish the top with chopped parsley or thinly sliced green onion.

South Beach BBQ Sauce – From South Beach Diet Book
1 (8-ounce) can Tomato sauce
2 tablespoons White vinegar
2 teaspoons Chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Garlic powder

Combine all ingredients together. Refrigerate in a plastic container.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

1 prepared pizza crust or pizza dough rolled out and ready to go

6 tablespoons of butter or margarine (I used “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter”)

6 tablespoons hot pepper sauce such a Frank’s

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups diced cooked chicken (2 chicken breasts)

¼ cup of blue cheese dressing (use store bought or the diet recipe below)

1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions or parsley

Put the margarine and hot pepper sauce in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for about 20 seconds.  Stir until completely combined and brush a little on the pizza crust.  Combine the two cheeses and spread them evenly over the top of the crust.  Add the rest of the hot pepper sauce mixture to the chicken and spread it evenly over the top of the cheese.   Drizzle the blue cheese dressing over the top and bake at 450 degrees for 13 minutes.  Garnish with thinly sliced green onions or parsley.

Light Blue Cheese Dressing

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

1 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons plain vinegar

¼ cup reduced fat sour cream

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together.

Margarita Pizza

1 prepared pizza crust or pizza dough rolled out and ready to go

4 gloves of garlic put through a press

2 tablespoons of olive oil

4 tablespoons washed and thinly sliced basil leaves

1 or 2 ripe red tomatoes, sliced
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

Brush 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on the crust.  Spread the pressed garlic over the crust. Arrange the basil, tomatoes, and tomato slices over the top. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and bake at 450 degrees for 13 minutes.