Chicken, Bacon & Jalapeño Pizza

Ingredients:

1 Pizza Dough Ball (10-12” Diameter)

All Purpose Flour for Dusting Work surface 

6 Slices of Thick-Cut Bacon, Diced, Cooked and Drained

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, Cooked, and Diced 

4 Medium-Sized Fresh Jalapeño, Seeded and Thinly Sliced

½ red Onion, Thinly Sliced, and Sauteed

1 8-oz Package of Cream Cheese, Softened at Room Temperature

2 C. Monterrey Jack Cheese

1 C. Medium Cheddar Cheese  

Equipment and Materials:

Pizza Stone

Pizza Peel (or Large Sheet Pan)

Parchment Paper

Pizza Wheel

Rolling Pin

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to max temperature, 500°-550° F.  If using a Pizza Stone, preheat the stone in the oven for 1 hour ahead of time.

2.  While oven is preheating, prep ingredients: Cook bacon, cook chicken, slice and lightly sauté red onions, slice jalapeños, grate cheeses. 

3.  Prepare a clean work surface with a light dusting of all purpose flour.  Roll out dough ball to a 10-12” diameter circle.  Move the dough onto a piece of parchment paper larger than the width of the dough.

4.  Spread softened cream cheese evenly over the pizza dough, leaving a 1” border around the sides.  Sprinkle with prepared bacon, chicken, sauteed red onion, and ¾ of the cheese.

5. Top cheese layer with sliced jalapeños and the remaining cheese.

6. Move prepared pizza into the pre-heated oven and place on the pre-heated pizza stone, using a pizza peel or the back of a sheet pan.  If baking pizza directly on the oven rack, transfer to the rack but keep the pizza on the parchment paper.

7.  Bake pizza for 15-20 minutes, checking the bottom of the crust after 10 minutes or so to ensure the crust is dark and well-baked through.

8. Turn on your oven’s broiler setting the last 2-3 minutes of cook time to get that nice, pizzeria-style blistered crust around the edges and ensure the top of the pizza is well caramelized.