An Oldie but Goodie - Malaysian Chicken Pizza

Malaysian Chicken Pizza, based on an old Cooking Light recipe, may be the best pizza we make, which is saying something because we make a lot of pizzas and really delicious, not your run-of-the-mill-pepperoni-pizzas either. This used to be a repeat recipe at least once a month, but it has been overlooked as of late with the other interesting pizzas we've been preparing. It was time to revive it, which made my guys really happy.

When you read the list of ingredients, you may question the amount of vinegar in the sauce. Don’t reduce it, and follow the recipe. The result is not harsh nor vinegary, but savory and slightly sweet. The peanut butter adds nice texture, and the combination of the ginger, red pepper flakes, and garlic adds a nice bite. The original recipe does not call for red bell pepper or zucchini, but any time I can get more veggies into something I seize the opportunity.

Cilantro is our add-on too. It's something people love or hate. Julia Child said in an interview with Larry King that she would pick it out if she saw it and throw it on the floor. WOW. We beg to differ with Julia and appreciate the fresh, citrus burst it adds to pizza - all kinds of pizzas.

Malaysian Chicken Pizza

Serves 6

3/4  cup rice vinegar
1/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4  cup low-sodium soy sauce
3  tablespoons water
1  tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2  tablespoons smooth or chunky natural peanut butter (Trader Joe’s is my favorite)
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, adjusted to your tastes
4  garlic cloves, minced

1/2 large red bell pepper, diced

Medium zucchini, cut into rounds

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup shredded fontina

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cilantro, chopped (I forgot to buy any for this time)Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (I like the 12 ounce size for a thinner crust)

Preheat oven to 500° and pre-heat the pizza stone.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from pan. Pour the rice vinegar mixture into pan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture 6 minutes or until slightly thickened. Return the chicken to pan; cook 1 minute or until the chicken is done. It should be the consistency of thick syrup.

Top the crust with the chicken mixture, veggies, and cheeses. Bake at 500° for 8 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Place pizza on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes.