Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia

Once a year my extended friend group gathers for a pizza-making competition. It’s a great party idea for a large group – each guest (or couple) makes a pizza at home and brings it to the host’s house, and then you sample them all and decide on a winner. The host doesn’t have to do a huge amount of food prep, and everyone is happy and full at the end of the night. This year we added a blind beer tasting, too, and that was a big hit with the guys in the group.

I’ve participated for the last three years, and have been runner-up each time. I really thought my pizza might win this year, but alas… I lost to a prosciutto, artichoke heart and caper concoction (which was really delicious!). In any case, this Thai Chicken Pizza recipe is a keeper, and I plan to make this nontraditional pizza for years to come.

Thai Chicken Pizza (modified from this A Bitchin’ Kitchen recipe)

INGREDIENTS

1 thin pizza crust (pre-baked pizza crusts can usually be found near the bread or bagels in your grocery store)

1 tablespoon red curry chili paste

1/4 cup peanut sauce

1 1/2 cup cooked, shredded chicken

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup diced green onions

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Remove pizza crust from packaging and place on pizza pan/stone/baking tray. Spread red curry chili paste on the crust, followed by the peanut sauce, leaving 1/2 inch around the sides. Next, arrange the chicken on top of the sauces and cover with mozzarella.

Lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees F and place pizza on the bottom rack. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until cheese is melted (but not browned). Remove from oven and top with bell pepper, onions, cilantro and chopped peanuts. Cut into squares and serve.

Note: I like to marinate the chicken in either peanut sauce or mayonnaise mixed with the red curry paste. Then I grill it, shred it, and it’s ready for either this pizza or a quick pad thai!