BLT Buffalo Chicken Pizza

I know what a Buffalo Chicken Pizza is, I just haven't seen any recipe that has what I think should be on it.

In the Ft Lauderdale airport is a Chili's Restaurant and they had this Buffalo Chicken Salad that was soooooo tasty and good.

This was what was in it:
BONELESS BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD: With applewood smoked bacon, bleu cheese crumbles, tortilla strips, house-made pico de gallo and ranch dressing.

Even The Nudge liked it enough to ask me to replicate it when we got home.

I did a good job at it and now I want the same thing on a pizza. Instead of ranch dressing I will use a provolone sauce and for the pico de gallo, homemade canned stewed tomatoes. After the pizza grills I will top it with Gorgonzola crumbles, the bacon and shredded romaine lettuce. Yummy, eh?

Crunchy and cold, it would balance the spiciness of the chicken with the creaminess of the cheese, the sweetness of the tomatoes with the salty of the bacon?!?!?

OMG, what a great idea. Oh yeah, babeeeeeee, The Nudge laughed and just shook his head.....lol

There are just some things best bought already cooked. Like chicken nuggets during a hot summer week when frying isn't in the cards. Luckily Whole Foods had just want I wanted, so I bought 6 pieces. After I cut them into coins, I will toss them in Frank's Buffalo Sauce and then spread them on the pizza.

This pizza is going to be so good, it might just become our new addition to our Top 10 of 2011.

I only hope that the image in my mind is as good as the actual pizza itself.

I am using the other half of the dough I made for the tart later in the week. Will be interesting to use a yeast dough for a tart but more on that later in the week.

Now for the components........

Provolone Sauce
makes enough for 1/2 large pizza

* 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 cup whole milk, heated
* 1/2 cup grated aged provolone cheese
* 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, and cook, whisking constantly until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the provolone and Parmesan until combined; season with the salt and pepper.

Dough
makes 1 large pizza or tart
Ingredients
* 3/4 cup milk
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for bowl
* 1/4 cup sugar
* Salt
* Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
* 3 large egg yolks
* 1 package active dry yeast
* 3 cups plus 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough and wrap
1. Place milk and 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, and heat until butter has melted. Remove pan from heat, and let mixture cool until tepid.
2. Place milk mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. On low speed, add the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon zest, egg yolks, and yeast. Gradually add 3 cups flour, creating a dough that is soft but not sticky.
3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until it is smooth and elastic and springs back when you poke it with your finger, about 5 minutes. Place in a large buttered bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

After you make the dough and the provolone sauce the rest of the cast of characters are:
* Peppadew peppers, chopped
* Gorgonzola crumbles
* Mozzarella cheese, grated
* Bacon, browned and drained
* Olive Oil
* Romaine lettuce heart, shredded
* Sliced deli provolone for the first layer of cheese
* Fresh black pepper
* Frank's Buffalo Sauce & Original Hot Sauce

Raw dough that was stretched and pressed into an oval shape.

I set up a single row of hot coals in an oval shape to pre-grill the raw dough. I grilled both sides but shy of done.

Dressed pizza with all the ingredients except the Gorgonzola crumbles, the lettuce and the provolone sauce.

I will place the dressed pizza on the grill, on a section with no coals under it, for indirect baking, just like a brick oven. I will make a pile of coals on both sides of the grill and place the pizza in the middle. When I close the lid, I will be looking for a temp of 400F or more.


Grill until the cheese melts, remove, sprinkle the bleu cheese crumbles, any additional hot sauce you desire, the shredded lettuce and provolone sauce (which I will nuke to heat it ).

If you love bleu cheese, provolone, buffalo chicken and spice, this pizza will be one you will make over and over again, I can guarantee it.

We both agreed that extra Frank's Hot Sauce sprinkled before eating brought out the buffalo chicken flavors.