Rustic Chicken Pesto Pizzetas

I love making Homemade Pizza Dough!

 

(This pizza dough can be made by hand or it can be made even more easily in the bread machine, my personal favorite method!)

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Not only can I keep it for a few days in the fridge to use for multiple meals… it is super versatile!  I’m not limited to making traditional pizza with it.  I can use it to make flatbread (aka: focaccia), or calzones, or even breakfast pizza!

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Today I used it along with some zero-fuss Rotisserie Chicken (you know, the kind from the grocery store… completely cooked and ready to eat!) to create these Rustic Chicken Pesto Pizzetas.

They look (and taste) so scrumptious and fancy… but in reality they’re a pretty simple meal.  (Especially since you buy the chicken already cooked!)  If you’ve got the dough ready in the fridge from a few days ago and some ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken, you can have this meal on the table within 20 minutes.  That’s something to cheer about!

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Simply use your fingers or a rolling pin to flatten a small ball of dough into a disc, and lay each disc onto a baking sheet dusted lightly with cornmeal (to prevent sticking.)  Tear up a few basil leaves and layer these onto the dough.  (They tend to burn if placed on top of the cheese and toppings.)

 

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Then sprinkle on some cooked rotisserie chicken.  As much or as little as you want!

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Next add a sprinkling of your favorite cheese.  (This happens to be a delightful mixture of Feta, Ricotta, Mozzarella  & Parmesan… my FAVORITE blend for Italian dishes.  I combine them with an egg and a big spoonful of pesto and it is to-die-for.)

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These just need to go into a 375-degree oven for about 8 minutes, followed by a minute or two under the broiler to get the cheese all bubbly!

And that’s all she wrote!

Your brood will gobble these up.  (And if you don’t have a brood… lucky you!  You get to do all the gobbling yourself.)  Pair this with a glass of red wine and a little chocolate for dessert and I say you have the makings of one extravagant night-in!

Here’s the recipe in printable form for ya:

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Rustic Chicken Pesto Pizzetas, Serves 4

1/3 recipe Homemade Pizza Dough (can be 1-2 days old if stored, covered, in the refigerator)

Fresh basil leaves

Shredded or chopped Rotisserie chicken, with skin removed

Cheese mixture: 1/4 C. Ricotta cheese, 1/4 C. grated Mozzarella cheese, 3 T. crumbled Feta cheese, 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 T. prepared pesto, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, 2 T. lightly beaten egg

Flatten small balls of dough into desired size disc, using your fingers or a rolling pin.  Lay onto a baking sheet dusted lightly with cornmeal.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes to rise a bit, then top with basil leaves, chicken, and crumbles of cheese mixture.  Bake at 375 for 8 minutes, then finish for 2 minutes under the broiler.  Optional: Serve with olive oil or marinara sauce for dipping.

 

 

 

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