Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza with Rosemary Beer Crust

It’s been way too long since I’ve posted a pizza recipe. The last one was a Cast Iron Skillet Brussels Sprouts Bacon Pizza back in April due to the fact that I don’t usually have time to let the dough rise during the week. Sometimes I get around that by mixing the dough before going to the gym and by the time I get back it’s ready to go.

This pizza uses pizza yeast for the dough which means homemade pizza on a weekday without any tricks! Pizza yeast requires zero rise time, which at first kind of worried me but it really does work. And to make this dough even more special it is made with beer and rosemary. It was the perfect base to be topped off with chicken, roasted red pepper and feta cheese.

One year ago: Baked Turkey Ricotta Meatballs

CHICKEN AND ROASTED RED PEPPER PIZZA WITH ROSEMARY BEER CRUST

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

DOUGH

1-1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 envelope pizza yeast (or use regular yeast and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced

3/4 cup wheat beer or pale ale

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

TOPPINGS

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minces

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1 cup cooked, chopped chicken

1 jarred, roasted red pepper, julienned

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with pizza stone positioned on the bottom third of the oven*.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add the flour, yeast, garlic powder and rosemary. Mix until combined.
3. Microwave the beer on high for 20 seconds, or until temperature reaches between 120 and 125 degrees F.
4. Add the beer to the stand mixer and mix on medium speed until most of the flour has been moistened. While the mixer is running, slowly add the salt and oil.
5. Turn speed to medium-high and beat until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes**. Roll out and transfer to a pizza peel sprinkled with corn meal*.
6. Spread the olive oil over the dough, leaving an edge for the crust and sprinkle minced garlic evenly. Top with mozzarella, feta, chicken and pepper.
7. Shimmy onto the preheated pizza stone and bake for 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly. Allow pizza to cool slightly then slice.

*If not using a pizza stone, just transfer dough to a pan, top and bake.

**If using regular yeast instead of pizza yeast, transfer to a lightly greased bowl and let rise for an hour or until doubled.

Source: Toppings are The Spiffy Cookie original. Dough adapted slightly from The Beeroness.