Chicken Pesto Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust

Pizza is a great way to use up things in your fridge or to stretch your meal when you only have a little of something left over.  I mentioned that I cooked two extra pieces of chicken earlier in the week to use on our pizza last night. Pizza is also a super fast dinner to make.  I started making my own crust so that it would be a little healthier.  I don't like the pre-baked crusts and i've never seen a raw pizza dough that comes in whole wheat.  I will admit that regular pizza dough has a better texture than whole wheat and I will also admit that the last time that I bought a ball of Publix pizza dough my husband commented that it was the best crust that i had made in a long time! I can't remember if a fessed up to him that I didn't make it myself. Making your own crust isn't difficult but you can skip this step and just buy one from Publix (in the bakery section) for a little over $2.  However, if you're like me and feel guilty about eating too much white flour then try out this recipe. I made green pea pesto as the base of the pizza because i think it goes better with chicken that marinara sauce.  If you are a person that can't stand peas (cathy) then you can simply substitute a package of frozen spinach that has been thawed and drained.  The Green Pea Pesto recipe can be found on an earlier blog post. Try topping your pizza with slices of smoked provolone instead of mozzarella.  It melts just as well and has a slightly stronger flavor.  We also topped our pizza with carmelized onions (on my half!) and some reduced fat feta in addition to the chicken and pesto.

before cooking

finished product

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust-this recipe makes enough for one large and one small pizza, one extra large pizza or 2 medium pizzas.  I made Wade a small personal toddler friendly pizza and then a large for Reg and I which was more than enough!

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting

before rising

after rising

Directions

Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor add the flour, salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and pulse to combine mixture. Turn the processor on and slowly add the water/yeast until the dough starts to come together into a ball. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time.

 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in the fridge for several hours up to overnight until doubled in size.
Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a pizza pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or oiled. Roll and stretch the dough into whatever shape works best!
Preheat oven as hot as it will go (500 to 550). Top with your favorite flavors. bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Watch carefully so that it doesn't burn. Repeat with the remaining dough.