benefits of trying new dining experiences

Posted on: 11 August 2015

If you need a break from your favorite delivery pizza, try making this chicken Alfredo pizza at home. It's made with delicious, yet low-fat ingredients, so it's a whole lot healthier than it tastes. The recipe makes a standard 14-inch round pizza, which should serve 4 - 6 people.

Ingredients:

• 1 ball of fresh pizza dough (from your local pizzeria or grocery store)
• 1 cup skim milk
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, minced

Directions:

1. Place the dough ball on a lightly greased, round pizza pan. Allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
2. While your dough ball is resting, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, or 200 degrees C.
3. Also while the dough is resting, prepare the sauce. Start by whisking together the flour, milk, garlic, and salt in a saucepan. Do not turn on the heat until the flour is fully dissolved in the milk. Then, turn the heat to medium, and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove the sauce from the heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese until it melts. Set the sauce aside.
4. When the dough is finished resting, apply a little oil to your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Then, stretch the dough out to form a 14-inch circle. If the dough starts to recoil and contract when you stretch it, this means it has not rested long enough. Let it sit for another 15 minutes, and then try stretching it again.
5. After you have stretched the dough, spread the sauce out evenly across the dough, leaving about 1/2 inch border all around the outside.
6. Scatter the chicken over the pizza, and then top it with the mozzarella cheese.
7. Place the pizza in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes.
8. Remove the pizza from the oven, and sprinkle on the basil. (Adding it part way through cooking ensures it does not get too brown and keeps its fresh flavor.)
9. Bake the pizza for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown on the bottom.
10. Let the pizza cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

To make this pizza even healthier, you can add sauteed broccoli or spinach to the top. It's a balanced meal that will satisfy your taste buds without sending your fat intake over the edge, like most Alfredo pizzas.

To learn more, contact a restaurant like Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.