BBQ Chicken Pizza

I know that BBQ Chicken Pizza is nothing new, but we've never had it before. Until not too long ago, I just didn't think chicken belonged on a pizza. (This pizza was one that helped change my mind.) Then there's the fact that in our house we're not really big on BBQ sauce. But I've had an unopened bottle hanging around for quite a while- since serving BBQ pork sandwiches at a casual party many months ago- and I thought it was time to use it, plus I had some homemade pizza dough in the freezer and wanted to try something different.

My version of this pizza is a little different than most I've seen out there. Typically, they have a layer of BBQ sauce instead of red sauce. Sage wasn't keen on this idea, so I went for a thin layer of store bought red sauce (He recently came home with 3 jars - they were on sale- so we already had it laying around) and then used shredded chicken coated in the BBQ sauce. Chopped red onion is often used to top this kind of pizza, but Sage isn't a fan of it when cooked. However, I didn't want to skip onions altogether because I love them, so I used yellow instead. Lightly sauteed, along with bell pepper, they were a wonderful addition to this pizza. For non BBQ sauce fans, we absolutely loved this pizza!

1 breast of chicken
about 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays, original flavor)
1/2 tbsp lite butter
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1 ball of pizza dough
2 tbsp marinara or jarred pasta sauce
1/3 cup shredded mozarella
1/2 cup shredded fontina (or gouda)

In a small to medium saucepan, cover chicken breast completely with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Poach chicken until just no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes. Remove to cutting board to cool, and drain and rinse saucepan. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred using 2 forks and return to pan. Add just enough BBQ sauce to coat (without being too wet) and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes or until ready to use.

Meanwhile, add butter to skillet over medium heat. When melted, add onion and peppers, and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft but not browning. Set aside.

Roll out pizza crust and transfer to baking sheet. Bake in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and spread red sauce evenly over top. Sprinkle with mozarella.

Next, top with desired amount of shredded chicken. (I piled it on, but since I had used a very large breast, I did not use it all.) Reserve any extra chicken for another use. To pizza, add green peppers and onions, and finish with a layer of shredded fontina. Bake for 8-10 minutes.