Yields: 2 medium pizzas
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus dough making/rising if homemade)
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients
For the Dough (if making homemade):
- 1 ½ tsp active dry or instant yeast
- ½ cup warm water (110-115°F) + 2 tbsp more
- 1 ½ cups bread flour
- 3 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp olive oil + more for brushing
- 1 tsp salt
For the Roasted Garlic:
- 1 whole head of garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
For the Garlic-Shallot Butter:
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 4 shallots, minced
- 1 ½ tbsp minced garlic
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed.
- Pinch white pepper
- ¼ cup white wine (Chardonnay or similar)
For the Pizza:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- 1-1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or oregano
Instructions
1. Make the Dough (Skip if using store-bought):
- In a small bowl, combine warm water (110-115°F), yeast, and sugar. Let stand until foamy (about 5 minutes).
- In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, salt, and olive oil.
- Add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir to form a shaggy dough. Knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).
2. Roast the Garlic:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cut off the top ¼ inch of the garlic head. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until cloves are golden brown and soft.
- Allow to cool, then squeeze garlic cloves into a small bowl and mash into a paste.
3. Make the Garlic-Shallot Butter:
- In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened (2-3 minutes).
- Add minced garlic and thyme, cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir in white wine and simmer until reduced slightly (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat.
4. Assemble the Pizzas:
- Preheat oven to 500°F (or highest setting) with a pizza stone or baking sheet inside if using.
- If you made dough, divide it into two balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball to a 12-inch circle.
- Lightly brush the dough with olive oil.
- Spread the mashed roasted garlic evenly over the dough, leaving a ½ inch border.
- Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.
- Distribute the cooked chicken, top with garlic-shallot butter, then the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Finally, sprinkle with Romano/Parmesan cheese and parsley/oregano.
5. Bake the Pizzas:
- Carefully transfer one pizza onto the hot pizza stone or baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and the crust is golden brown.
- Repeat the process for the second pizza.
Tips:
- For a crispier crust, pre-bake the dough alone for 5 minutes before adding toppings.
- Experiment with toppings! Try adding caramelized onions, spinach, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
- Substitute store-bought rotisserie chicken for easy prep.
Enjoy your homemade California Pizza Kitchen-inspired Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza!
