Chicken Tikka Pizza

Growing up as an Indian girl in Panama and the US, I became very accustomed to fusion foods. It's quite amazing how mixing different cultural cuisines can bring new delicious dishes together. The Chicken Tikka Pizza is one of those fusion foods that we really enjoy in our home! I'm normally not a fan of having chicken on pizzas because the ones that I've tried in the past were just very bland, and the flavors just didn't go well together. However this pizza has won me over to loving chicken on pizzas. I've found it that if you flavor the chicken well, it works. Everyone that has tried this pizza has loved it! I've made this pizza several different ways, and now that I've perfected this recipe, I'm excited to share it with you! I think you'll find the spicy Indian flavors from the chicken and the sauce to be really delicious on a crispy Italian pizza crust.

I've made my own Tikka Masala sauce at home before, however, I've just found it easier to buy it from Kroger, or any other brand that you prefer for this recipe. I've found the Kroger brand to be similar to taste and texture as my homemade sauce, so I figured why go through the extra trouble if it can be time saving. We usually like grilling everything for this pizza, but I've also made this pizza in the oven and it has turned out just as delicious. You can just prep the chicken and veggie mix in a flat skillet on the stove and you're set. The one thing that I would highly suggest for you to use in this pizza is Amul cheese! Amul cheese is a mild cheddar cheese that is usually sold at Indian grocery stores, however if you can't find it, then shredded white cheddar would be a good substitute. However, Amul cheese has a distinct flavor and texture that does make a huge difference in the taste for this pizza recipe. You can make this recipe vegetarian by using paneer, or change it up by using shrimp even, if you'd like. The following recipe will make two medium size pizzas. Enjoy!

Chicken Tikka Pizza

Ingredients:

- 2 pizza crust (see recipe here)

- 1 (13.5oz) jar of Tikka Masala Sauce (I used Indian Inspiration Kroger brand)

- 4 cups of shredded Amul cheese, or white cheddar cheese

- Chicken Tikka and Veggies Topping mix (see recipe below)

- Spicy green chutney (see recipe below)

- Handfull of chopped cilantro for topping

Directions

1 - Roll the pizza crust and pierce it all over with a fork so that the crust doesn't bubble up and remains flat.

2 - Place the crust on a grill mat and grill the crust until its halfway done; maybe about 5 minutes depending on how your grill works. The crust just needs to be light brown. Note: If you're using the oven, pre-heat the oven with a pizza stone and bake your crust first until it's light brown.

3 - Take crust out and spread Tikka Masala sauce on it.

4 - Spread Amul cheese on top of the sauce.

5 - Add the grilled chicken and veggies topping mix on top.

6 - Sprinkle Amul cheese on top, and put it back on the grill or the oven until the crust is fully cooked and the cheese is hot and bubbly.

7 - Take the pizza off the grill, or out of the oven and sprinkle fresh cilantro on top.

8 - Serve the Chicken Tikka Pizza with the spicy green chutney. Enjoy!

Chicken Tikka and Veggies Topping Mix

Ingredients:

- 1 packet of chicken tenders (cut up in 1 to 1.5 inch pieces)

- 1 small red or white onion (long sliced)

- 1 medium green bell pepper (long sliced)

- 3 to 4 serrano peppers (long sliced)

- 2 chicken bullion cubes

- 3 - 4 tbsp of canola oil

- 2 tsp of red masala (or cayenne pepper powder)

- 1 tbsp of Everest Chicken Masala spice mix

- 1.5 tsp of lemon juice

Directions

1 - In a large bowl mix the chicken bullion cubes, red masala, chicken masala, lemon juice and oil into a marinade.

2 - Throw the chicken and veggies and mix them in the marinade.

3 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours. Take it out of the fridge an hour before grilling.

4 - Grill the chicken and veggie mix until the chicken is tender or to your preference and set it aside for topping on the pizza. Note: If you're cooking it on the stove top, cook it in a flat skillet on medium heat until the chicken is almost cooked. Do not overcook the chicken because it will further cook more in the oven with the pizza.