Gina’s Favorite Chicken and Spinach Pizza

Name: Gina’s Favorite Chicken and Spinach Pizza
Yield: serves 2 to 4
Ingredients: One 3/4-pound boneless, skinless chicken breast; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 cups fresh baby spinach, well washed and dried, plus 1/2 cup for garnish; One 16-ounce ball store-bought pizza dough; 1 cup grape tomatoes, red and yellow, halved; 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese; Olive oil, for brushing crust

December 14, 2011

GINA Forget calling up the delivery guy: making pizza is easier than you’d think, and this recipe is perfect for movie watching. I love this pizza because it has my favorite ingredients, chicken and spinach, right on top. You can slice large tomatoes if you like, but I prefer sweet and juicy red and yellow grape tomatoes. Not many people think of the yellow tomatoes, but they add extra color and taste great. PAT Most guys prefer any kind of pig on a pizza, including me, but Gina introduced me to this recipe, and that flavor blast of garlic and red pepper won me over. Make one of these and cuddle up on the couch together.

Recipe information

Yield
serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

One 3/4-pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups fresh baby spinach, well washed and dried, plus 1/2 cup for garnish

One 16-ounce ball store-bought pizza dough

1 cup grape tomatoes, red and yellow, halved

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Olive oil, for brushing crust

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle of the oven. Heat a pizza stone or a large, heavy sheet pan in the hot oven for 1 hour.
Step 2
Preheat a grill pan (or cast-iron pan) over medium-high heat.
Step 3
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Put the chicken in the grill pan, and grill until cooked through, 5 minutes per side. Let rest for 10 minutes, then dice into small chunks.
Step 4
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Scatter in the garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, until the sauce is light blond in color. Whisk in the cream, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in 2 cups of the baby spinach.
Step 5
Flour your work surface, and roll the pizza dough out to a 13-inch diameter. Place the dough on a large sheet of parchment to transfer it to the pizza stone. Ladle the sauce in circles to cover the pizza thinly. Evenly top the pizza with grape tomatoes, grilled chicken, and the mozzarella in one layer. Brush the edge of the crust with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Carefully place the topped pizza on the pizza stone, holding both edges of the parchment paper as handles. Leave the pizza on the parchment.
Step 6
Bake the pizza until crisp and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and immediately top with the remaining baby spinach. Slice and serve.

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Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends. Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.

TagsPizza Chicken Breast Chicken Poultry Spinach Leafy Greens Vegetable Mozzarella Cheese Dairy Parmesan Starter Main Dinner Nut Free Grilling Cast Iron Skillet Cookbooks

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

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Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Recipe notes