Chicken Pesto Pizza bakes in a snap, thanks to freezer-friendly shortcuts, from Becky Rosenthal’s cookbook, Fast to the Table Freezer Cookbook: Freezer-Friendly Recipes and Frozen Food Shortcuts! Keep a batch of pizza dough and toppings in the freezer, and dinner is ready in minutes. You can even prep and freeze the whole pizza for the busiest of weeknights! Recipe reprinted with permission.
In a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, combine the yeast, sugar, salt and bread flour. While the dry ingredients are still mixing, add the water, then the olive oil. This will form a large dough ball. If the dough is sticky, you may need add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Once a solid dough ball is formed, move it onto a floured surface and hand knead for or five folds, forming the dough into a ball shape.
Transfer the dough to a slightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a moist towel, and place in a warm area of your kitchen to let rise for at least 1 hour. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and separate into two equal-size balls. Each ball will form a 14-inch or so pizza. You can use both balls at that time to make two pizzas, or use one and freeze the later use. Or freeze both!
Make the Chicken Pesto Pizza:
Preheat the oven to 475°F and place a baking stone in the oven, if you have one.
Roll out the pizza dough on a baking sheet or pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal. Spread the pesto on the pizza dough, then top with the shredded chicken and slow-roasted tomatoes. Sprinkle the cheese over everything. Brush the edge of the pizza dough with a little bit of olive oil. Transfer to the pizza stone or a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly brown.
Notes
Whether you use store-bought toppings or make your own, this recipe comes together so quickly when you have them ready. Definitely try Becky’s recipes and recommendations for storing pesto and slow-roasted tomatoes – it’s well worth it!Recipe reprinted with permission from Fast to the Table Freezer Cookbook: Freezer-Friendly Recipes and Frozen Food Shortcuts by Becky Rosenthal (The Countryman Press, 2016).