bbq chicken pizza

Every new years eve since jamie and I have been living together (21 years as of this writing), we’ve hosted a party at our home. It’s everything I love about hosting— a holiday that I can tie to a food theme.

Before kids it was a lot of champagne cocktails and fancy appetizers…

After kids it was a lot of straight champagne and a pizza bar and cookie decorating station.

Creating a new year’s eve pizza bar was pure genius on my part (if I do say so myself). I could easily prep both kid friendly and adult appealing toppings the day before, and offer a variety of sauces to please every palate— traditional tomato, olive oil, pesto, white, and the winner for both the kids and adults in my family? BBQ!

Mozarella? Check! Goat cheese? Check! Ricotta? Burrata? Gotcha covered!

I could make my own dough; or I could grab premade dough from whole foods or trader joes. I would prep and par-bake anywhere from 20-30 individual crusts, ready to be created, leave the ovens set to 450 with directions taped on them for parents to help their children, and to cook the pizza’s 10-15 minutes until cheese starts to turn a lovely golden brown.

This year, with stay-at-home orders in effect, there won’t be a multi-family party. Instead it will just be the six of us, playing games, watching favorite movies, and sharing another evening together being thankful for all we have gained and all we have learned by being together since march. And?!? We can still make our favorite pizza for dinner. So can you!

Ingredients:

pizza dough, homemade or store bought

favorite bbq sauce, homemade or store bought, we are partial to kinders

3 cups mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 1/2 cooked chicken breast, chopped into pieces

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 handful of cilantro leaves

Directions:

Pre heat oven to 400.

Roll out pizza dough on a large, parchment lined cookie sheet. Approximately 10 x 14 inches. Par bake on middle shelf for 10 minutes.

Turn oven up to 450.

Coat par baked pizza crust with bbq sauce, spread mozzarella over sauce, top with chicken, cilantro and shallots. Grate parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake for 5 minutes on the bottom shelf. Move to the top shelf and cook for 5 more minutes, or until cheese starts to brown.