Buffalo Chicken Pizza with a Beer Bread Crust

I'd like to start this post by stating that this meal was not for me.  For one thing, I've been eating pretty healthy lately, and for another, I don't typically eat pizza.  Yes, you read that correctly, I don't typically eat pizza, especially if it comes from a restaurant.  I do however have to admit that there are a few "healthy" pizza recipes that I've been wanting to make from scratch.

I was very tempted to taste test this pizza though, seeing how much I love buffalo chicken!  I'm proud to say, and still can't believe that I refrained and let Jeff have it all to himself. 

Buffalo Chicken Pizza with a Beer Bread Crust
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Ingredients:

For the Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 TBSP. sugar
1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
¾ cup larger beer, warmed to 105 degrees
2 TBSP. olive oil

For the Pizza:

¼ cup buffalo wing sauce (favorite brand)
3 TBSP. Franks Red Hot Sauce (optional)
2 TBSP. Larger beer
1 TBSP. butter, melted
1 TBSP. ranch dressing
1 ½ cups cooked, cubed or shredded chicken (I seasoned mine with a dash of cayenne pepper and garlic powder as it cooked)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup blue cheese crumbles (if desired)
2 TBSP. sliced green onions for garnish
Blue cheese crumbles for garnish

Directions:

For the Crust:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, but removed from the stand, combine 1 cup of the flour with the sugar, yeast, baking powder, and salt.  Now, add in the beer and olive oil and stir together.  Place the bowl back on the stand, and beat on a low speed for about 30 seconds, then on high for about a minute.  Add in the last cup of flour and continue to beat on low, until a soft dough is formed.

Replace the paddle attachment with a dough hook (If you don’t have a hook, you could knead the dough by hand) and beat on a medium speed for about 5 minutes.  (The dough should feel somewhat tacky, you can always add more flour, if needed)

Once the dough is ready, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

 

 

For the Pizza:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray a baking sheet with a non-stick cooking spray. 

On the prepared baking sheet, press the dough into a 14x10 inch rectangle and poke holes in it using a fork.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the crust just begin to turn a nice golden brown.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the wing sauce, hot sauce, beer, ranch dressing and melted butter.  Add the chicken, and stir around until all the chicken pieces are well coated.

In a small bowl, combine all 3 cheeses and stir together until well blended. 

Once the crust has been removed from the oven, sprinkle on about 1 cup or so of the cheese mixture (I used a little extra).  Top with the chicken and sauce mixture and then add on the rest of the cheese.  Return the pizza to the oven and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is a nice golden brown.  Remove from the oven and garnish with green onions or blue cheese crumbles.

 

 

Source: Slightly adapted from Betty Crocker