Thai Chicken Flatbread Pizza

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Here’s a variation of pizza that is great for the grown-ups on a Friday night, featuring peanut sauce, broccoli, and sweet mango.

I know, what a combination!

You will have to trust me with this one – it really is good 🙂

Flatbreads are a regular on the shopping list at my place; you can use them so many ways, from wraps with pulled pork and slaw, to bases for bacon and egg pies! Super nice for a lunch sandwich instead of a bread which gets boring quickly – specially for the kids!

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This is as authentic a peanut sauce as you can make, as it starts with real peanuts not peanut butter! It is super easy, and quick to make.

You can use this for a dip for vegetables, or as a sauce for chicken or beef satay. Or use it as a marinade for grilled chicken or tofu.

For the Peanut Sauce:

  • 1 cup fresh dry-roasted peanuts, unsalted
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 c loves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, to taste
  • 2-2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste, or 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or 1 teaspoon chilli sauce
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk

Place all of the ingredients into  blender or food processor, and blend until sauce is smooth. If you prefer a runnier peanut sauce, add a little more water or coconut milk.

Do a taste-test, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, or  more cayenne if not spicy enough for you. If too salty, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. If you would prefer it sweeter, add a little more sugar.

**this sauce tends to thicken as it sits – just a little water or coconut milk to thin it out, as needed. It stores well, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks; pop it in the freezer after this time period.

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Pizza Ingredients:

  • 2 flatbreads, or pitas
  • 200-250 grams chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 150gram mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup small broccoli florets, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 mango, chopped – if it is out of season, a can of mango will do the trick too 🙂
  • peanuts, chopped to serve
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped to serve

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Heat oil in a small pan, and add chicken and 2 tablespoons of peanut sauce, salt and pepper to sauté until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and allow to cool.

Spread two tablespoons of the peanut sauce on each flatbread or pita, then top with half of the chicken, cheese and broccoli and red onions.

Bake pizza for 8-9 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden

Top with chopped mango, peanuts and parsley.

Serve with extra peanut sauce so you can dip the crust!

Happy Friday Pizza Nights xx

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Home-Made Alfredo Chicken & Spinach Pizza,  last day of July 2016!

We often have a home-made Pizza and a glass of wine on a Friday night – you know how it is?  TGIF! I do cook ‘properly’ all week and feel quite justified in a quick takeaway style meal by Friday.

When the children were younger they loved making their own pizzas – I wish I could show you a photo of the smiley faced pizza’s with salami eyes & mouths!

This Friday was a little different at our house as I had taken the day off work for a much needed break – my new job has been pretty exhausting since taking it on in May and I thought a mini break would recharge my batteries! I thought I would cook a nice meal in a relaxed fashion – glass of wine in hand as I pottered about the kitchen making some delicious dinner for two like the domestic goddess I am!  🙂

I had, however, bought tickets for The Auckland Food Show – and this was my first venture to the show and I had no idea I would be out for the whole day…(and what a great day it was). I highly recommend this show for any foodies – cooking demos from well-known NZ chefs and the variety of food was amazing – from old favourites to new products getting ready to hit the supermarkets shelves and refrigerators. I took the ‘chief tester’ along with me, and thank goodness too – I did shop and came home laden with goodies (well the ‘chief tester’ did if you know what I mean?)….the specials were too good to resist!

Back home, with tired feet and a thirst for a cup of tea; any thoughts of that amazing dinner were well and truly gone. The cup of tea went down a treat and so did an early night!

Saturday came and I have to admit to feeling quite justified in resorting to that Friday night mentality of a quick and easy dinner. I had spent the day doing housework after all 🙂

I had this idea to make a different sauce for the pizza – my ‘chief tester’s’ tummy does not always love tomato-based meals so I thought I would try something a little less acidic.

Why not an Alfredo sauce? Creamy deliciousness on a pizza base?

Sauce Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 1/2 tbsp flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup tasty cheese – your choice, I used Parmesan

Melt the butter in a small pot, then add the garlic. Cook for a minute or so. Sprinkle the flour in, mixing well and letting the mixture cook slightly. Pour in the milk and mix vigorously with a whisk to ensure you get no lumps. Cook until mixture starts to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.

Take off the heat and add the cheese, stirring to melt the cheese.

Pour the sauce over the top of your pizza base.

Pizza Ingredients

  • 1 handful of chopped baby spinach
  • 1 cup cooked chicken breast
  • 1 red onion, sautéed until soft
  • Feta cheese, cubed
  • Chopped parsley
  • Salt & ground black pepper and Creme Fraíche to serve

I topped my pizza in the order above…baked for 12-15 minutes in a hot oven. And poured a glass of wine – dinner was served!

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Alfredo Chicken & Spinach Pizza – nothing like a home-made take-away meal

Declared a keeper by the ‘chief tester’ – I will definitely do this again – perhaps some mushrooms in the Alfredo sauce next time?

Happy TGIF xx

 

Alfredo Chicken & Spinach Pizza

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Tandoori Chicken & Mango Pizza – so easy!

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Who doesn’t love Pizza? It is a good standby: quick & easy to throw together, the kids all eat it without complaint, and you can pretty much put anything on a pizza base! Of course making fresh pizza bases is the ultimate with a pizza – and I do this on the weekend using the bread maker. But like all sensible working woman I also have a couple of bases on standby in the refrigerator!

Tonight I had some chicken I had cooked the night before in a tandoori paste in a plastic container, and wondered if that would make a good topping for a pizza?

But what goes with tandoori chicken? Caramalised onion? Some sort of fruit maybe?

I always have caramelised onion as a pantry staple, it is very easy to make, keeps well and can be used in a variety of ways. Here is the recipe I make. It is from Annabel Langbein . I’m sure she won’t mind sharing her recipe with you all 🙂

Prep time:10 mins Cook time:30 mins Makes:about 3 cups
6 red or brown onions, peeled and finely slicedIMG_0830
1 cup water
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp each butter and sugar
1 tsp each salt and finely chopped rosemary leaves
Combine all ingredients in a pot, cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, stirring now and then, until all the water has evaporated and the onions are just starting to stick on the bottom (about 15 minutes). Allow to cool. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.

Anyway back to the pizza 🙂

  • 1 pizza base or naan bread if you have?
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup caramelised onions
  • 150g (or thereabouts) of tandori basted & grilled chicken
  • 1 can of mangoes! Well it seemed like a good taste match!
  • Mozarrella cheese – small handful

Smooth the tomato paste over the base, splash the onion all over, top with the chicken. Add sliced mango decoratively! and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top! Voila !! Fan bake for 15mins.

The man of the house gave this the ‘thumbs up’ and not just because he was hungry! It was tasty with the mango complimenting the taste of the tandori chicken – a dollop of creme  freche and a glass of red wine! Who could ask for anything more on a Tuesday evening after a long day in the office…

Happy Cooking!

xx