Tandoori Chicken Pizza

After mistakenly celebrating  Father's Day last week, the real day dawns with no inspiration for a feast. Cooking block, if there is such a thing. Stuck in a rut. I know I have to make something special again. The weather gods forecast showers for FD. One strike against grilled food. Father does not want to eat from his native land, so another strike against Indian food. My grey cells are tapped out. Later, I watch a Rick Bayliss show. He makes beer dough pizza. Intriguing and convenient, as it is to be baked in the oven.  

Just before bedtime I form this easy dough. It sits overnight on the counter. Next morning I peer at an airy, but raggedy dough. Pleased, I punch the dough and begin rolling. I have been thinking about toppings. Bayliss does a tomatillo base with chorizo. I have neither product. The gems in my fridge are but few. Leftover roasted chicken gives me an idea. I shred and saute it with tandoori masala and garlic. My base is BBQ sauce. A mixture of Gouda and goat cheese rounds off the pizza. 

As I prepare lunch, my prayers are answered as sunlight streams through windows. I preheat the grill for a half hour with the pizza stone on it. Son and I come up with a grilled pineapple margarita. Fresh pineapple slices get grilled for a few minutes. Pureed, they are added to a simple syrup, lime juice, tequila and Cointreau. It's a delightful mouthful!!! Another keeper. The grill calls for pizza. I do my jerk-the-peel as the pizza slides easily off and onto the pizza stone. I close the top and and gulp my grilled pineapple margarita.

TANDOORI CHICKEN PIZZA

Makes 2 medium ovals

Pizza Dough

2 cups Flour

3/4 teaspoon rapid-rise Yeast

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 cup room temperature Water

3/4 cup Beer

2 cups cooked Chicken, shredded

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

2 teaspoons Tandoori Masala powder

1 teaspoon Garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

4 tablespoons Barbecue Sauce

1/2 cup Gouda, grated

1/4 cup Goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup Red Onion, thinly slivered

Semolina for pizza peel

Mix flour, yeast, salt water and beer in a glass bowl. Make sure it comes together in a rough ball. Cover with Saran Wrap and leave bowl on the counter overnight for 8-10 hours to rise. You should see air pockets in the dough by morning.

About 40 minutes before serving start gas grill and place the pizza stone on rack. Let the stone heat for 20-30 minutes in the closed grill.

Begin with the chicken topping.  Heat olive oil in a pan.

Add shredded chicken to oil and saute for a few minutes.

Sprinkle tandoori masala, garlic powder and salt over chicken. Stir for a few minutes so masala coats all the chicken. Keep aside to cool.

Dust surface with a little flour and drop risen dough on to surface. Cut dough into two portions.

Roll one portion to a 4-5 inch disc. Spread dough using your knuckles on the underside of dough. Or just use a rolling pin. You could use fingers to pull the dough into a thin free form disc too. be careful not to pull too hard as dough will tear. Pinch it together if it does. 

Dust the pizza peel or a wooden board with a handful of semolina.

Place dough on peel. Make sure it moves when jerked.

Top dough with 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce.

Scatter half the tandoori chicken over sauce. 

Divide grated Gouda in half and top chicken with one half.

Scatter half the goat cheese over Gouda.

Arrange a few slivers of onion over cheese.

Open grill and slide pizza onto stone by jerking the peel a couple of times. 

Close grill cover and let pizza cook for 7-10 minutes.  Watch the pizza towards the end so it doesn't burn.

Repeat process with the second ball of dough.

Don't drink too any margaritas or you will burn the pizza.....

Cut pizza into quarters, squares or rectangles and munch.

Pineapple margaritas and pizza are this father's delight! He scuttles around trying to help. We shoo him away. Grilled watermelon and arugula topped with truffle balsamic vinegar takes care of a healthy side. The pizza crust is puffy, crisp, all in all, one of the easiest doughs to work with. I am thrilled with the texture of the pies. We demolish pizzas, salad and drinks. Today it's all about G....grills, Gouda, goat cheese, good drinks and food...... Goodness gracious me......its siesta time for G!

Pin It