Chicken Pesto Caprese Pizza

Chicken Pesto Caprese Pizza

Yield

1 pizza 1 pizza

Prep Time

15 minutes 15 minutes

Bake Time

15 minutes 15 minutes

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Ingredients

  • Pizza Dough
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 envelope Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Instant Yeast ​
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup very warm water (120° to 130°F)*
  • 3 Tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 Tablespoon dried basil
  • 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or 1 Tablespoon dried/ can ned)

  • Pesto Sauce
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  • Pizza Toppings
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved (approximately 3 ounces)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or fresh sliced)
  • 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
  • Fresh basil for garnish, optional
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Combine 1 cup flour, 1 package Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Instant Yeast​, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
  3. While the dough is resting, make the pesto sauce if you are not using pre-made pesto. Do this by combining all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor and blending until you reach your desired consistency.
  4. Pat or roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is approximately 12 inches wide.
  5. Transfer the dough to a greased baking sheet. Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough.
  6. Spread the pesto along the dough, avoiding the crust edges.
  7. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese across the pesto. Top with the halved tomatoes and chicken.
  8. Sprinkle a little more Parmesan across the pizza if desired.
  9. Brush the edge of the crust with a little more oil and sprinkle with Parmesan or garlic powder, if desired.
  10. Bake on lowest oven rack for 12 to 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.
  11. Thinly slice the remaining fresh basil, if using, and sprinkle across the top of the pizza. Cut and serve immediately alongside extra pesto, if desired.
  12. Recipe Notes:
  13. If you do not have a thermometer to measure the temperature of the water, the water should be very warm but not too hot. If too hot, it will kill the yeast and the dough will not rise.

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