Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my favorite dishes, so when I saw this recipe for it in pizza form, I knew I was going to have to try it.  I mean, who doesn't dream of their favorite recipe being adapted to fit as a pizza topping??  I know I do... frequently actually.  Some ideas work... some ideas do not.  This one is definitely in the first category!!  And, here's a little fun fact I learned recently... of course this makes me love the dish even more..... although the origin of chicken tikka masala is unclear, it is traditionally known as a "true British national dish".  Why the extra love, you ask?  Well..... I secretly used to wish I was British.........      enough said :)

Before I let you go, please take note.. this recipe may look long, but it's not.  I was just feeling really generous today and thought I would share two ways of making this pizza - the grilling method AND the baking method :)  Now there truly is no excuse for you not to make it!!

Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza
Adapted from Rasa Malaysia: Easy Asian Recipes
Ingredients:
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (or two small)
2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 ball of homemade or refrigerated pizza dough
2 small jalapenos, chopped or sliced
2 (or more) cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
For the sauce -
5 oz tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala

Directions:
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne, garam masala, ginger and salt and pepper together until well combined.  Rinse the chicken and place in shallow dish or resealable plastic bag.  Pour the marinade over the chicken, cover/seal and place in refrigerator for 4 hours.  Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Place chicken over direct heat and grill for 5-10 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  Remove and allow to cool before thinly slicing or cutting into bite size chunks.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by adding the tomato sauce, yogurt, cumin, paprika and garam masala to a small bowl and stirring to combine; set aside.  (if you are making this more than 30 minutes in advance, cover and refrigerate until ready to use)

My grilling method:  Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Stretch and roll dough; brushing both sides with olive oil and placing on a large sheet of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking oil.  Slide the foil with the dough onto the grill and shut the lid.  Grill, rotating the dough once, for 5 minutes, or until the bottom is starting to turn golden brown.  Carefully remove aluminum foil with dough from grill and turn the grill temperature up to 400-425 degrees F.  Flip the dough over and spread the sauce over top of it.  Top with jalapenos, chicken and cheese.  Slide back onto grill and allow to cook about 3-4 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden brown.  Move the pizza to indirect heat and continue cooking another 5-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted.  Carefully remove from grill and allow to cool a minute or two before slicing.  Enjoy!

My baking method:  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  If you have a pizza stone, place in oven to preheat - if not, don't worry about it!  Stretch and roll out dough, brushing both sides with olive oil and placing on a pizza pan.  Spread the sauce over the crust and top with jalapenos, chicken and cheese.  Reduce the temperature to 425 degrees F.  Place pizza in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is warm and bubbly.  Remove and allow to cool before slicing and serving.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  My Mom's Beef Goulash
Two Years Ago:  Dragon Chicken
Three Years Ago:  Saucy Sirloin Steak