California Pizza Kitchen's "Thai Chicken Pizza"

I got this recipe out of a cookbook called, "A Treasury of Top Secret Recipes". This cookbook has anything from how to make a "snickers" bar to Cheesecake Factory's "Cajun Chicken Pasta". In fact, I got my Alfredo recipe from this cookbook and I have yet to find a recipe that doesn't taste just like the restaurant's pick.

Now this recipe does have a few Asian ingredients that I may not use that often, but what's great is if you keep them in the fridge, they keep for months, and they're all relatively very inexpensive.

I hope you take a break from traditional dishes and try this spin on Chicken Pizza that will make your taste buds smile!

Thai Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

Peanut Sauce:
-1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
-2 Tablespoons Teriyaki sauce
-2 Tablespoons Hoisin
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
-1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
-1 Tablespoon brown sugar
-2 Tablespoons water
-2 teaspoons sesame oil
-1 teaspoon soy sauce
-1 1/2 teaspoons minced onion
-1 teaspoon minced gingerroot

The Crust:
* I like to buy frozen bread dough from the grocery store and use it instead of making it from scratch; I could go the extra mile, but what's nice is how quick this recipe is without it ;)

Toppings:
-1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
-1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half, cut into bite sized pieces and cooked in peanut sauce (recipe listed below)
-1 cup shredded mozzarella
-2 green onions, julienne
-1/2 cup bean sprouts (I actually left these off just because I know Chris wouldn't like them, and he's totally a visual eater; if it doesn't look good, he probably won't like it =)
-1/4 cup of carrot, julienne
-1/4 cup mozzarella (placed just around the center)
-2 teaspoons minced cilantro (placed just around the center)
-1 Tablespoon chopped peanuts (placed just around the center)

Directions
Mix together the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a small, microwave safe bowl. Pour this mixture into a food processor or blender and blend for about 15 seconds or until all the garlic, onion and ginger are reduced to small particles. Place in the microwave and heat for just about a minute. The sauce should be slightly darker in color now.

In a small ziploc bag, combine chicken and 1/3 of the peanut sauce. Seal and place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 2 hours.

Roll out and shape pizza dough and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Brush the edges lightly with olive oil or butter.

Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Cook the marinated chicken for about 4 minutes in the pan, or until just cooked through.

Using the remaining 2/3's of the peanut sauce, spread a thin layer on the pizza dough. Next layer your toppings in the same order as listed above starting with cooked chicken breast.

Place in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and center is cooked through.

Let rest for 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Serves 2-3 as an entree