Guys, I’m a little late on this, but last week, there were two holidays of utmost importance. First, it was National Biscotti Day…AKA, another Italian cookie from heaven, that goes with one of the most wonderful liquids in the world, coffee. THEN, the very next day, it was National Italian Food Day…AKA a celebration that combines all of the delicacies of one country in one day. That would be like celebrating a combination of classic American foods like barbeque, hot dogs, hamburgers, apple pie, etc., all in one. I feel like it’s a shame not to mention this holiday, because let’s be honest, most of the foods that Americans know and love, come from somewhere in Europe; namely Italy. While it would be as impossible as picking a favorite child (if I had one), to pick a favorite Italian food, personally, I’m a pizza girl. There are very few savory foods in this world that I would pick over a sweet one, but pizza has that effect on me. Hence, the recipe of this week: Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Pizza.
I know. You’re a little shell shocked by the first thought of that combination. Fruit on pizza? Balsamic vinegar on fruit? Balsamic vinegar on pizza? What in the world kind of pizza is this? A delicious one, that’s what. Think about it, the best foods in this world are multifaceted: sweet, tangy, crunchy, soft, etc. This guy hits all those notes, and more.
It all starts with the vinegar. We’ll be reducing the balsamic, for two reasons: first, reducing intensifies it’s sweetness and cuts down on the bitterness, and second, it’ll result in a thicker consistency. Since we’re not adding anything to the reduction, it won’t necessarily turn to thick glaze status, but it will change in volume for sure. To reduce the balsamic vinegar, pour 1 cup into a small saucepan and heat until boiling. Then, reduce to a simmer and allow the vinegar to bubble until it’s down to half of it’s original volume. You’ll know it’s done when it coats the back of a spoon. Once it’s finished, remove it from the heat and add some sriracha for a bit of heat…just trust me on that one! (You won’t end up using all of this reduction for the pizza, so be sure to save it for later and throw it on your next salad!)
Next up, topping the pizza. There are four main ingredients going on this bad boy: chicken, mozzarella, thinly sliced sweet onions, and diced strawberries. While you can pre-cook the chicken in anyway you’d like, I simply baked mine with some salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Once it was baked, I shredded it finely and mixed it with my cheese, half of the strawberries, and the slices of onion. All of this mixture went on to my base to be baked. As far bases go, I went with a whole wheat pita. Next time, I’m 100% trying a piece of naan, because that would be bomb. You could probably also make this with a piece of regular pizza dough, although I would suggest prebaking the crust, as the cheese and strawberries would dry out too much if they were in the oven for that long. Since we’re just looking to make it all crispy, it’ll only take about 6 minutes under the broiler to cook.
Last, but not least, it’s time for the drizzle. Use a spoon or squirt bottle to drizzle some of that reduction over the top of your pizza, and sprinkle on the last half of your diced strawberries.
Guys, I just about cried with pride when I first bit into this guy. There were just too many things to keep track of that I loved, so I ran to my computer to write down the first words that came to mind: sweet from the strawberries, tangy from the balsamic, a bit of heat from the sriracha and onion, and that crunch from the crust? Yes. Please.
I’ll wrap this up before I start drooling on the keyboard again. Next Saturday, we are just keeping with the Italian theme, and whipping up my favorite new way to make lasagna. But, before then, on Tuesday, we’re getting ready to celebrate another iconic national holiday that’s coming up…National Pancake Day.
Until then, stay tuned and stay hungry!
Erin
- whole grain naan/pita
- 3/4 cup strawberries, diced
- 2 oz. cooked chicken breast
- ¾ oz. mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp sriracha (optional)
- Pour balsamic vinegar into small sauce pan, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 4/5 minutes (vinegar will reduce by half of it’s original volume)
- stir in sriracha (this amount of glaze will be far too much for one meal, save the rest!)
- Cook chicken using method and seasoning of choice (pictured: baked chicken, seasoned with S&P;, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper)
- Dice chicken and mix with cheese, half of your strawberries, ¼ sliced onion – spread over naan evenly
- Broil for 5-6 minutes, until brown and crispy
- Allow to cool slightly – sprinkle with last half of strawberries and parsley that’s been finely chopped
- Drizzle with balsamic reduction