Chicken Portobello Pesto Pizza

Let me apologize for the lack of photos I have of this recipe.  It may or may not have to do with the fact that I was in such a hurry to eat this, that I forgot about photos...until I was down to one slice, with very little daylight to contribute to a respectable photo.

However...I can tell you that I did manage to enjoy slice, after slice, after slice.

And, I've eaten enough slices to come to the conclusion that this is a recipe I will definitely make again!

Maybe it has to do with the fact that I LOVE mushrooms!  Cooked mushrooms, that is (I also like raw mushrooms, but it comes nowhere near my love for the cooked kind).  So, when I saw this recipe on Brown Eyed Baker, I was instantly convinced.

The combination of mushrooms, pesto, and cheese sounded almost-perfect.  But not perfect yet, because it needed meat.  Actually, it just needed meat so my boyfriend, Tony, would be enthusiastic about it.  Luckily, I had some leftover chicken in my fridge, so I chopped that up and threw it on the top...and boy, am I glad I did!  The chicken took it from almost-perfect to perfect!

The chicken, mushrooms, pesto, and cheese created an amazing blend of flavors, and it was such a nice change from the usual tomato sauce pizza.  I even used Trader Joe's whole-wheat pizza dough, which not only saved me time from making homemade crust, but also made me feel a little less guilty.  Feel free to make homemade dough if you prefer, but I think the Trader Joe's pizza dough works fine for this recipe.  I also used Trader Joe's jarred pesto, and 1 1/2 cups of their packaged Quattro-Formaggio blend of shredded cheese, instead of the cheese called for below.

Chicken Portobello Pesto Pizza
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Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Yield:  One 12-inch pizza

Ingredients:
Store-bought pizza dough of your choice (or homemade, if you prefer)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup pesto
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
8 ounces provolone cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

While oven is preheating, prepare the onions and mushrooms.  In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add the sliced onions and mushrooms.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released all of their liquid, and both the mushrooms and onions are soft and browned, about 10-15 minutes.  Set aside.

Shape pizza dough into a disk using the palms of your hands.  Starting at the center of the disk and working outward, use your fingertips to press the dough until it is about 1/2-inch thick.  Holding the center in place, stretch the dough outward.  Rotate the dough a quarter turn and stretch again.  Repeat until the dough reaches a diameter of 12 inches.  Use your palm to press down and flatten the thick edge of the dough.  Transfer the prepared pizza dough to a pizza peel, parchment-lined baking sheet, or pizza pan.

Spread the pesto over the pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border uncovered.  Spread the onion and mushroom mixture evenly over the pesto, then sprinkle with chicken.  Top with cheese.

Place pizza in oven, and bake until the crust edges are brown and cheese is golden-brown in spots, about 8-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven, then slice and serve.