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Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Bacon Pizza-Flash Back Friday

For flash back Friday I've chosen to re share one of the pizzas I bake for company that I'm pretty sure they have not tried.
I originally found this recipe one day looking at Pinterest. Strawberries on pizza? I had to try it, but I changed up a few things to make it my own.

-I added 1 tablespoon of pineapple juice to the sauce
-in place of cilantro, I used baby arugula which gives a slightly peppery taste
-I added feta cheese for that little zip...and I think it gives a pretty finish
**last time I made this I added a few pineapple chunks to the toppings**

During strawberry season I like to reduce good quality flavoured balsamic vinegar and once it's thickened and slightly cooled, drizzle it over skewers of fresh strawberries and pineapple. So it was no surprise to me when I saw this pizza recipe with it's unique combination of ingredients that I knew it would be a hit. I've also added my favourite pizza dough recipe.

Pizza Dough: enough for one 12-14" pizza
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons quick rise yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspooon sugar
  • 1 cup very warm water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  1. Place flour in a large bowl. 
  2. Stir in yeast, sugar and salt.
  3. Add water and oil. Stir until dough starts to come together.
  4. Stir dough until it's too hard to stir and then knead until a soft none sticky dough pulls together. Form into ball and rub with a small amount of olive oil.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest on counter until double in bulk, approximately 35 minutes, OR cover with plastic wrap and let sit in refrigerator for 24 hours. This method of a longer rest time allows the gluten to relax and the result is a dough that is very easy to work with and produces a crisp airy crust. If you put dough in refrigerator, take out and allow to rest on counter for about half hour before forming crust.
Pizza toppings:
  • 1 cup chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces. ( you can roast one chicken breast for this or use a rotisserie chicken breast from the deli)
  • 4 slices apple wood smoked bacon, cut into 1" pieces and fried to tender crisp
  • 1/4 cup thin slices of sweet onion, I like to use walla walla onions this time of year
  • 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, or a blended cheese
  • 1/3 cup feta cheese
  • fresh strawberries
  • baby arugula
  1. Cut up roasted chicken breast into bite size pieces. 
  2. Cut up bacon and fry to tender crisp.
  3. Slice onion into very thin rings.
  4. Prepare pizza sauce, recipe below.
Pizza sauce - this is not your ordinary pizza sauce!
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup strawberry jam
  • 1 tsp hot sauce, or to taste. I add a bit more as we like a bit of heat
  • 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
  1. In a small sauce pan heat the balsamic vinegar over medium heat until it begins to boil. Turn down and let cook until it reduces to about 1/2 the amount.
  2. Stir in the remaining ingredients until well combined.
  3. Remove from heat and allow this mixture to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients. As it cools it will thicken. (at the point dip a whole strawberry into the mixture and enjoy.
Assembling and baking pizza:
  1. Place pizza stone in a cold oven and turn oven to 450ยบ.
  2. While oven and stone are heating up shape pizza dough to a round a few inches smaller than stone. Place dough onto a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with a bit of cornmeal. This will help the pizza to release and slide onto the hot stone easily.
  3. Once you have your shell formed on the parchment, spread 1/2 the sauce onto the shell. 
  4. Pour the remaining sauce over the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Set aside.
  5. Sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese over the pizza crust and sauce.
  6. Next add the chicken, then the bacon, onion rings and top with remaining cheese.
  7. Carefully slide the prepared pizza onto the hot stone and bake for 20-25 minutes. 
  8. Remove from oven, slide pizza onto a cutting board. 
  9. Top with fresh cup up strawberries, baby arugula and feta cheese. Serve immediately.





6 comments:

  1. Looks delicious and it's so eye catching!

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  2. This looks so yummy! Love the combination of sweet and salty! Rhoda

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  3. Oh my goodness Kathy - this sounds wonderful. As I hit the print button ....

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  4. Made this yesterday for the family...and it went over with rave reviews!

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  5. Made this tonight for our Valentines dinner and it was scrumptious.

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  6. Made this tonight for our Valentines dinner and it was scrumptious.

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