Santa Fe Chicken Pizza

I love Mexican food. And I love pizza. Marry the two together and I'm pretty much in heaven!

Salsa:

2-3 firm, red, ripe roma tomatoes, diced

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeno

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

salt to taste

Grilled Lime Chicken:

10 oz boneless skinless chicken breast(s)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon honey

pinch cumin

pinch crushed red peppers

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons olive oil

Caramelized Onions:

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick rings

1/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Guacamole:

1 large, ripe, Haas avocado

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped scallions

1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeno

salt to taste

Pizza:

1 large pizza crust (or homemade dough - I still haven't tried my own yet!)

2 cups shredded mozzarella

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup sour cream

For the salsa: Combine all ingredients and set aside in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Place the salsa in a strainer to remove excess liquid. Set aside.

For the Grilled Lime Chicken: Prepare a hot grill. Mix the marinade ingredients together. Marinate for 15 minutes. Grill the meat for 5-7 minutes per side (discarding leftover marinade). Remove chicken form the grill, chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Cut the cold grilled chicken into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside in refrigerator. To save time, dice the chicken prior to marinading. Then saute over medium-high heat, using the marinade to cook the meat. Drain off excess liquid and set aside.

For the Caramelized Onions: Melt butter in a small non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onions, stirring, until they just begin to brown, 3-4 minutes. Add vinegar; reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Add soy sauce and cook 5-10 minutes longer, stirring. When done, the onions should be quite limp and caramelized brown.

For the Guacamole: Cut the avocado in half; discard the pit and scoop the meat away from the skin. Using a fork, mash the avocado in a clean bowl; quickly combine the remaining ingredients to prevent avocado from turning brown. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole and squeeze out air bubbles. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Pizza: If using homemade pizza dough, place pizza stone in over and preheat to 500 degrees for one hour before cooking. Distribute onions over prepared pizza crust or dough. Cover the onions with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. Distribute chicken over cheese and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella over the chicken. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until crust is crisp and golden and cheese is bubbly. When pizza is cooked, remove it from oven. Sprinkle cilantro over entire pizza and serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

Recipe adapted from The California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook by Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield.