Savvy Savories & Such: Mediterranean Chicken Pizza--Grilled!

Since spring is in full force and summer is approaching I have been cooking on the grill whenever I get the chance. Of course I love anything that is grilled: steaks, chicken, fish, veggies, and burgers. Since Paul and I have been into making our own pizzas we discovered how wonderful a pizza cooked on a charcoal grill tastes. It adds a smoky, delectable, summery flavor to every morsel of the pizza, and adds an extra crunchiness to the crust. Previously we've thrown together a basic pizza with various cheeses, turkey pepperoni, mushrooms, and veggies. It is very delicious but when I found a recipe for a Mediterranean chicken pizza in a catalog that our local grocery store mails out every season, I thought it would be perfect for the grill. It was an instant favorite!

Uncooked Mediterranean Chicken Pizza

Mediterranean Chicken Pizza After It Has Been Grilled.

Mediterranean Chicken Pizza--Grilled. Adapted from Hy-Vee Seasons Spring 2012

Ingredients:
1/4 cup pesto sauce
1 thin crust pizza crust (I use Jiffy and make mine fresh from the mix)
1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 cup cubed chicken, partially cooked
1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, sliced
1/4 cup halved, pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1) Process the chicken in the Marinade Express for 20 minutes. I used a Greek flavored MX seasoning.
2) Preheat the grill, whether it be gas or charcoal.
3) Cut the chicken up into bite-sized cubes, precook in the oven for 10 minutes at 300 degrees. Don't overcook the chicken because it will cook some more on the pizza. Just cook it enough so it isn't completely raw when you assemble your pizza
4) While the chicken is cooking and the grill is preheating prepare the toppings and the crust. Follow the directions for making your dough; it's pretty simple.
5) Spread pesto sauce over the crust. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and the remaining toppings.
6) Grill for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. The cook time might be longer if you are using a charcoal grill, depending on the temperature of the coals. I use a basic metal pizza pan to cook the pizza on but if you are using an already-made crust I think it would be fun to try cooking it directly on the grill-- gotta love those grill marks!

I Put My Knife and Cutting Board To Good Use

Variations: I have made this pizza twice now. The second time the pizza turned into a vegetarian version because I didn't have chicken on hand. The veggie version was still very satisfying. We added fresh mushrooms to the toppings which made the pizza even more delicious, in my opinion.