BBQ Chicken Pizza

Years ago my I met some of my best girlfriends, while working at a local college pizza joint, were we bonded over homemade pizza and fcoccia bread…. We are still the best of friends and love to reminisce about our server years!  I must say I had a love hate relationship with the restaurant. I loved learning about food, but could have done without being a grease ball when I left.

Since moving on from the restaurant I still love to make homemade pizzas any chance I get.  The pizza I’m sharing today has become popular in the last few years, but I think it is just perfect for a weeknight dinner with the boyfriend 🙂

Ingredients ( Serves 4) Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees

1 lb Fresh pizza dough

Flour for dusting

6 oz of Chicken Cooked and Diced

1/2-3/4 Cup BBQ Sauce

1 Cup Provolone Cheese

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 Cup Diced Red Onion

1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Directions

Dust a clean surface with flour and roll fresh dough out into a 12 inch round. Transfer to a pizza stone. Top with BBQ sauce, chicken, provolone and mozzarella cheese, red onion, and cilantro. Bake in your 400 degree preheated oven for 15-17 minutes. Slice and serve!

I would recommend serving with an ice cold pint of beer or a big glass of white wine, but hey that’s just me 🙂

Shrimp and Chicken Sausage Paella

The recipe I’m about to share I found on marthastewart.com. I’m a huge fan of Martha to say the least. I subscribe to three of her magazines. Whole Living for the wanna be organic in me, Every Day Living for my creative inspiration, and lastly Everyday Food for the foodie in me. I’m hoping with all the magazines  I read, I might pick up a thing or two from her 🙂

For those of you who have not tried Paella before don’t be scared off by the name.  This recipe is very easy and flavorful, and you can mix up the ingredients if you aren’t a seafood eater.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 ounces chicken sausage, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds ( I used 2 Cajun Johnsonville Chicken Sausages)
• 1/2  medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cups long-grain rice
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Directions

• In a heavy 12-inch saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp until just pink on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes (do not overcook). Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil and sausage to pan; cook over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and rice; cook, stirring to coat, until rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in paprika, turmeric, tomatoes, and broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed almost all liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in cooked shrimp; serve immediately.

 

For those of you who don’t care for the seafood I would recommend either doubling the sausage. or you could sub pork sausage for the chicken sausage, and sub cubed chicken for the shrimp. Most importantly  be creative, because this is a must try dish!

Chicken Gyro Wraps with Tzatiki Sauce

It wasn’t until college that I tasted my first Gyro, and at that point there was no turning back…. I often remember finding myself at a little Greek place near campus late on a Saturday night with friends, stuffing my face with that tender lamb meat (Yes a know a wonderful visual)! While the lamb was good it had nothing on that cool Cucumber sauce! I would order my meal with extra sauce in order to get my fix 🙂

While eating a big Gyro can be so satisfying, it can also create a not so lovely “Food Baby” in your belly… In order to get my Gyro on more often I make this delicious meal at home using chicken, and I have recreated that glorious cucumber sauce. Here is that recipe I use ( Makes 2 Servings)

Tzatiki Sauce

• 1/4 Cup Grated and Drained Cucumber
• 1/2 A Lemon Juiced
• 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Dry Dill
• 1 Garlic Clove Grated with a Micro Plane

Stir all ingredients to combine, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (the longer you can let it sit the better the flavor). Now move on to the Chicken.

Chicken Marinade

• 2 (5 oz) Chicken Breasts
• 1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt ( I use McCormic Brand. If you don’t have this product go get it! But if you don’t have this product a pinch of dry oregano, salt, and pepper will work just fine)

Place all ingredients into a Ziploc bag to marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. The yogurt and vinegar will help tenderize the meat and make it really flavorful.

After marinating take the meat out of the refrigerator, an allow it to come back to room temp for 10-15 minutes.

Grill chicken on a grill pan for the best flavor, if you don’t have one use your trusty saute pan. Cook till chicken reaches an internal temperature 170 degrees F. Allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes under a piece of tin foil to allow the juices to redistribute. While you wait get your wrap and toppings prepared.

Wrap and Toppings

• 2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
• Iceberg lettuce
• Thinly Sliced Red Onion
• Tomatoes

I used whole wheat tortillas, but any type of wrap will do just fine. Start by adding a row of lettuce, then thinly sliced red onion, and sliced tomatoes. I am not a fan of the tomatoes so I leave them out. When the chicken is done resting,  slice the meat and place next to the lettuce. Top with as much of that Tzatziki sauce as your little heart desires!

Roll everything up tightly and slice in half.

These chicken Gyros always hit the spot, and they also help me avoid that “Food Baby” issue 🙂

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chinese food is surely one of my guilty pleasures, but with the deep frying and fatty sauces there is nothing healthy about it.Over the last few months I have been slowly collecting different Asian sauces in order to make more “Take out” dishes at home. This recipe was adapted from Skinny Tastes Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I added more veggies and adjusted the marinade.

Ingredients

• 1 Head Iceberg Lettuce
• 1lb Ground Chicken (93/7)
• 1 Cup Diced Button Mushrooms
• 1/2 Cup Assorted Diced Peppers
• 1 Medium Shredded Carrot
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Teaspoon Oyster Sauce
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 2 tablespoons Stir Fry Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Green Onion

Directions

In a small dish combine garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. Stir to mix ingredients. Pour over the uncooked chicken and allow it to marinate.

While the meat marinates, heat a pan over medium heat with the vegetable oil. Add the mushrooms, peppers, and carrot. Saute until veggies have softened (about 5 minutes).  Increase heat to high and add marinated meat. Cook till all the liquid has evaporated. At this point turn off the heat, and add in the Stir Fry sauce.

Transfer into a serving dish and top with chopped green onions.

For the lettuce cups remove the the outter layers of a head of Iceberg Lettuce. Slice in half and gently pull apart to form the cups. Serve meat mixture in the lettuce cups, and top with the dipping sauce below.

Dipping Sauce

• 4 tablespoons Hosin Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1 tablespoon Water

Stir to combine.

Well lets just say that Alex gave me a fist pound so I think I nailed it!