Buffalo Chicken Pizza With Chive Pesto

With garlic oil, Mozzarella, bleu cheese, buffalo chicken, and homemade chive pesto, this pizza is a lighter, and more elegant, version of the classic Buffalo chicken pizza. I love serving this pizza on Game Days, at casual parties, or even just on lazy Friday nights at home.

Author: Sunday Table

Meal Type: Peanuts Free

Cuisine: Italian

Difficulty: HARD

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 16 Slices

Calories: 229 kcal per serving

Ingredients

1 small clove - garlic
½ cup - chives
1 tbsp - pine nuts
2 tablespoons - Parmesan
2 tablespoons - olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1 ¾ pounds - pizza dough
1 ½ cups - boneless chicken
½ cup - buffalo sauce
2 tablespoons - olive oil
4 small cloves - garlic
3 cups - whole milk Mozzarella
¼ - red onion
¼ cup - bleu cheese
ranch dressing
cornmeal and flour

Instructions

Place the garlic clove in a mortar**. Add a pinch of salt and use a pestle to mash the mixture until smooth.
Add a small handful of chives and mash until smooth. Continue griding the chives in batches until the herbs are broken down and there are no large chunks left.
Add the pine nuts and Parmesan and grind until the mixture is smooth. Add the olive oil 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and add salt and pepper to season.
Preheat your oven to 500°F. If you have a pizza stone, make sure it's on a rack in the lower 1/3 of your oven while it heats (if not, just use a regular sheet pan). If you have the time, let the oven heat for 30 minutes or so to make sure the stone is very hot. Generously dust a pizza peel or wood cutting board with cornmeal.
In a small bowl, combine the chicken with the buffalo sauce and toss until combined. Set aside.
Next, it's time to stretch the dough. First, divide your pizza dough into two pieces. On a floured surface, press each dough into a thick disc with the tips of your fingers. Then, pick up a round of dough, holding it upright. With your hands at the top of the dough (at the 12 o'clock position), allow the bottom to stretch toward your counter (at the 6 o'clock position). Rotate the dough in your hands, and allow it to stretch more. Continue repeating this motion until you have a circle roughly 8-10'' across. Place the pizza dough on the pizza peel/cutting board dusted with cornmeal. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
Brush each pizza dough with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Then, divide the minced garlic cloves evenly over the top of each pizza dough.
Divide the Mozzarella, buffalo chicken, and red onion between the two pizzas. Finish by sprinkling the bleu cheese crumbles evenly over the pizzas.
Slide the pizzas onto the hot pizza stone or sheet pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the bottom of the pizzas are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove the pizzas from the oven using a pizza peel. (Alternatively, use a spatula to slide the pizzas onto a cutting board). Drizzle or dollop the chive pesto over the pizzas. Use a sharp pizza wheel or knife to cut each pizza into 8 slices. Enjoy with some creamy ranch dressing.

Nutrition