Smoked Applewood Chicken Pizza

Difficulty:
1/5

Yield: 1- 14 inch pizza (229cm)

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Rub

  • 2 teaspoons dried minced onion (10ml)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (5ml)
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (2.5ml)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (5ml)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder (5ml)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin (2.5ml)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (5ml)

Pizza Topping

  • 2 chicken breasts grilled and cooled sliced thin
  • ½ cup thinly sliced red onion (125ml)
  • 1 cup grated Gouda cheese (250ml)
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (250ml)
  • 2 avocado pitted and halved, skin intact
  • 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (15ml)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15ml)
  • 3 tablespoons applesauce (45ml)
  • ½ cup barbeque sauce (125ml)

Other

  • 1 prepared frozen pizza dough thawed and rolled
  • 3 cups apple wood chips (750ml)
  • Pizza ceramic stone
  • Pizza wooden paddle

Directions

  1. Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Rinse chicken with cold water and pat dry.
  3. Vigorously rub the spices onto the surface of the chicken slightly tearing the micro fibres of the flesh.
  4. Place chicken on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until grill is ready.
  5. Preheat barbeque to 350°F/176°C or medium heat.
  6. Oil preheated barbeque grate.  Place chicken directly on grill.  Let chicken cook for 5 minutes flip and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until juices run clear.  Remove chicken from the grill and place on a tray.  Loosely tent with foil and let chicken rest 5 minutes before slicing.
  7. Slice chicken against the grain of the meat in ¼ inch slices.
  8. Place sliced chicken in the refrigerator until needed.
  9. Soak 2 cups (500ml) of apple wood chips in water for 1 hour
  10. To build a smoke pouch, drain the wet wood chips and squeeze excess water out.  Spread wet wood chips in a large piece of aluminium foil.  Place 1 cup (250ml) of dry wood chips on top and mix them together.  Close the foil around the chips to make a sealed package. Using a fork, puncture holes on the top and bottom of the foil pack.
  11. Prepare the barbeque for smoking.  Preheat one side of the barbecue to 400° F/200°C high heat. Preheat the other side of the barbeque to 300° F/148°C or low heat.  Remove barbeque grill above from the burner with high heat.
  12. Place smoke pouch directly on the high heat source of the grill. Replace the grill rack
  13. Place the pizza stone on the low heat side of grill. Close the lid and wait for smoke to fill the cavity of the barbeque.
  14. Prepare pizza by rolling out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 14 inch (34cm) round crust.
  15. In a small bowl mix together the apple sauce and barbeque sauce.
  16. Using a spoon or brush slather the sauce on the pizza crust leaving a 1-inch border of crust along the outside.
  17. Top the pizza with red onion, sliced chicken breast, and the Gouda and Mozzarella cheeses.
  18. Once smoke has filled the cavity of the barbeque quickly place pizza on the preheated stone. Reduce temperature under the smoke pouch to 325°F/162°C or medium low heat. Close lid and leave to smoke for 35 minutes or until crust is golden and crisp and cheese is melted.  Remove pizza.
  19. Oil grill.
  20. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar onto the flesh of the pitted and peeled avocado halves.  Place avocado flesh side down directly on grill for 2 minutes.   Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Peel the skin off the avocado using a spoon or sharp knife.  Slice avocado in thin slices. Place on pizza in a decorative pattern.
  21. Slice pizza into wedges and serve hot.