*The Chef Next Door*: Chicken and Chorizo Pizza

For those of you who don't already know me, I will tell you that I am the proud big sister of two little brothers. Well, not exactly little, being that they are 6'3" and well over 200 lbs...I guess YOUNGER brothers is the better term. And without digging up too many Hale-family memories or boring you with too much "I remember when...", I'll just go ahead and say that my brothers and I didn't get along too well growing up. Yep, let's just leave it at that. :) And every once in a while, our poor mother would try her hardest to corral us into the same room and engage us in an activity that may result in laughter and smiles rather than scratch-marks and tears. Believe it or not, this room was the kitchen, and more often than not, the activity was a homemade pizza. Pizza is something that EVERYONE loves, it's something EVERYONE can agree on, and it's something that EVERYONE can enjoy making and eating together. Even annoying little brothers and eye-rolling, bratty big sisters.

Then (2003):

Now (2010):

The homemade pizzas of my childhood involved little more than pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and occasionally some pepperoni. (We were picky kids.) But now that little Margaret is all grown up and sporting a Chef jacket, the pizzas of today are a wee bit more gourmet. So paying homage to my upbringing, my brothers, and my mom (and Dad, too, I guess!)- here is my Homemade Chicken and Chorizo Pizza. It is easy, it's filling, and insanely delicious. If you can convince your kids that the "green stuff" AKA Cilantro isn't "yucky", then they will love it too! Enjoy.

Homemade Chicken and Chorizo Pizza

Ingredients:

1 storebought Pizza Dough
Generous rub of Olive Oil
Generous sprinkle of dried Oregano (or Italian Herb Mix)
Generous sprinkle of Garlic Salt
Generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
*Optional: sprinkle of crushed Red Pepper flakes

1 Tablespoon butter
2 chicken breasts- cut into bite-size pieces
1 package of sliced Chorizo-roughly chopped
1/2 White/Vidalia Onion- diced
Salt and Pepper

1 cup of Sun Dried Tomato-flavored Alfredo Sauce
1 cup of jarred Salsa (heat-level: your choice!)

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Crumbled Goat Cheese

Bunch of Cilantro, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the pizza dough to all the edges of a round pizza pan. Rub it with olive oil, then sprinkle it with dried Oregano, Garlic salt, parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper if you want some extra heat. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until it is golden brown and ALMOST completely done. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onion, chorizo, and chicken to the pan, and saute until the onion is translucent, the chorizo is beginning to crisp and curl up, and the chicken is cooked through- about 7 minutes. Stir often to ensure all the pieces are coated with the yummy Chorizo "juice". Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

3. Combine the Alfredo sauce and the Salsa until mixed thoroughly. May sound wierd, but when Alfredo sauce and Salsa get together and have a baby, it is DELICIOUS.

4. To assemble, spread the Alfredo Salsa mixture evenly over the pizza. Not too much, but not too little. Use your best discretion.

5. Spread the chicken/chorizo/onion mixture evenly over the sauce. Don't let too much of the oil get all over your pizza.

6. Cover the chicken/chorizo/onion mixture with the mozzarella cheese...

...then Cheddar cheese...

...then GOAT cheese! (My absolute favorite thing in the world- leave it off if it's not your cup of tea, but it really adds to the flavors of the pizza)