Thursday 8 September 2011

Butter Chicken Pizza





This is fusion food at its finest!  Italians/Indians might have something to say about it.......until they try it.  "Bellisimo!  What a diabolically stupendous pizza!"  Crispy pizza base, tender tandoori chicken topped with a fresh, flavour packed salad and creamy yoghurt make this a healthy, super easy any-time-of-the-week meal!

Serves 4

You will need:

4 store bought pizza bases* (you can make your own if you wish)
2 single chicken breast fillets, cut into bite size pieces
2 tbs of tandoori paste
3 tbs plain yoghurt (a nice smooth one)
2 1/2 tbs honey
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 garlic clove, chopped
2cm piece of ginger, chopped
1 x 400gm tin of cherry tomatoes
1tbs tomato paste
50 gm of baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1 lebanese cucumber, halved and sliced diagonally
1/2 cup of mint leaves
1 cup of coriander
1 green onion, sliced diagonally
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs lime juice
lime wedges to serve
Sea salt and Pepper

*  I use the wood fired Pane Toscana pizza bases that can be bought at Coles.  They have that lovely charred flavour and come out really crispy.  Alternatively I use wholemeal lebanese bread, however you could use naan or any other style of flat bread.

In a large bowl combine the yoghurt, tandoori paste, juice of 1/2 a lime and 2 tbs of the honey.  Mix well and toss the chicken pieces through it, cover with plastic wrap and marinate for a couple of hours.  If you are short on time, 1/2 an hour is fine or if you have plenty of time, over night would be great.  The longer it marinates the more tender it will be.

Heat a large, heavy based fry pan to medium heat and heat a little oil.  Lightly fry the ginger and garlic until nice and fragrant and add the chicken pieces.  Fry for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally so it is cooked evenly. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and the remaining 1/2 tbs of honey.  Allow to come to a simmer and reduce for a few minutes.  You want the mixture to be fairly dry as it is going on a pizza base.  Finally stir through the spinach leaves and 1/2 of the coriander.  When the spinach has wilted, remove the pan from the heat.

In another bowl, combine the cucumber, green onion, mint and remaining coriander.  Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and the lime juice, season with salt and pepper and give it a good mix.

Pre heat an oven to 180 degrees.  Pop the pizza bases in the oven for approximately 5 minutes or until nice and toasted.  Remove the bases from the oven and divide the chicken mixture between the four bases.  Cut the pizzas into wedges and dob each slice with some plain yoghurt.  Scatter the salad mixture over the top and serve with a wedge of lime.

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