Chicken Pesto Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust

This pizza was a bit of an experiment, well, mainly the crust.  I ran out of white flour and so decided to sub in whole wheat flour instead.  Then, realizing that whole wheat flour is a bit heavier, added some additional water to the recipe.  It tasted good but still needs a bit of work as far as texture is concerned.  I would recommend spraying the pizza pan with cooking spray or rubbing olive oil over your hands before spreading the dough on the pan. 

The toppings of the pizza themselves were delicious too and a great departure from the usual red sauce we have most other times.

Chicken Pesto Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust

Pizza Crust:

2 c. white flour

3 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. dry active yeast

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

3+ Tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 1/4 c. water, room temperature

Pizza Toppings:

2-4 Tbsp. prepared pesto

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

1-2 chicken breasts

1/2 to 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 c. fresh mozzarella, sliced

Instructions:

Combine flours, yeast, salt, and sugar and stir.  Add water and 2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Stir until well combined and let sit for 5 minutes to let the flour fully hydrate.

Stir additional 3-5 minutes until dough is tacky, not sticky.  If it is too sticky, add additional olive oil.  I would also consider mixing by hand, rather than with a spoon at this point.  Rub olive oil over your hands to prevent sticking.

Divide the pizza dough into two balls.  Spray a freezer bag with cooking spray and place one ball inside to freeze and use at a later time.  (simply thaw and roll out dough as you would if fresh when ready to use the extra crust). 

Spread dough over a pizza pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or coated with olive oil.

To prepare the pizza toppings, cook the chicken breasts seasoning to taste with garlic, salt, and pepper until juices run clear and cooked through.  Shred the chicken and set aside.

Spread prepared pesto over pizza dough.  Add chicken and bell peppers.  Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh mozzarella.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the pizza for 15-18 minutes or until golden on top.

Husband Rating: 7 out of 10

Food for Thought: I am still working on the pizza dough and will report back as I make improvements; however, I won't change the toppings combination.  More to come on this recipe...