Thai Chicken Pizza
Closest thing to CPK's Thai Chicken Pizza that I have found. My favorite use of this recipe is leftover turkey after the holidays to make this pizza. This is the best use for leftover turkey I have found. Just a heads up; make extra, because this pizza gets better the next day. Don't let this recipe spook you (due to the large list of ingredients). It's really not that much, and if you read through the entire cooking instructions several times to understand the steps, you will master an amazing pizza recipe.
Closest thing to CPK's Thai Chicken Pizza that I have found. My favorite use of this recipe is leftover turkey after the holidays to make this pizza. This is the best use for leftover turkey I have found. Just a heads up; make extra, because this pizza gets better the next day. Don't let this recipe spook you (due to the large list of ingredients). It's really not that much, and if you read through the entire cooking instructions several times to understand the steps, you will master an amazing pizza recipe.
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- pizza dough
- pizza toppings
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- spicy peanut sauce
- 1/2 cup peanut butter crunchy is best
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp minced ginger root (or 1/4 tsp ground ginger)
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp vietamese chili sauce (or dried chili flakes)
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 pkg active yeast
- 1 cup warm water 105 to 110 degrees f
- 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cup flour
- corn meal
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 4 scallions sliced on a diagonal
- 1/2 cups bean sprouts
- 1/4 cups carrots shredded
- 2 tbsp raw peanuts roasted and chopped
- thai chicken (or thai turkey)
- 10 oz poultry of choice cooked and chilled
- 1/4 cup spicy peanut sauce
- Carbohydrate 79.9839923294057 g
- Cholesterol 91.0757926397758 mg
- Fat 26.4263410945002 g
- Fiber 4.00837234349031 g
- Protein 46.5036576424828 g
- Saturated Fat 10.3755407888054 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (419g)
- Sodium 2550.22630407019 mg
- Sugar 75.9756199859154 g
- Trans Fat 1.635258250592 g
- Calories 733 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a sauce pan and heat on low until heated through and combined.
- Stir to ensure complete ingredient incorporated.
- Let simmer for a few minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water.
- Let set for several minutes until it gets a little foamy.
- Add 2 1/2 cups flour, oil, and salt.
- Knead on speed 2 (in a KitchenAid stand mixer or on a floured cutting board by hand) for about 2 minutes.
- Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough starts to cling to hook and clean the sides of the bowl; (or until the dough cleanly pulls up from the floured cutting board).
- Remove dough from mixing bowl (or floured cutting board) and place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top.
- Cover.
- Let rise in a warm place for about an hour.
- Punch dough down.
- Shape dough into rounds.
- Place on greased pizza stone sprinkled with corn meal.
- Toss Poultry of choice (diced to 1/4 inch dice or shredded from left over bird) with spicy peanut sauce.
- Set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 500 F.
- Spread out pizza dough, top with 1/2 cup spicy peanut sauce and spread out sauce over entire pizza dough, leaving 1/4 inch crust without sauce.
- Top sauce with 3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese.
- Top with carrots, bean sprouts and chicken (or turkey).
- Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and chopped peanuts.
- Cook in oven 9-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and crust is browned.
- Remove from oven and top with cilantro.
- Let set five minutes before slicing and serving.
Dough Hydration and Mixing Mechanics
Many home cooks ruin pizza crust by dumping all the flour in at once, which prevents proper gluten network development and creates a heavy, dense crumb that fails to support heavy toppings. When activating your yeast in water held strictly between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit, pay close attention to how the flour incorporates during the initial two-minute knead. Adding the remaining flour in half-cup increments allows the protein to hydrate gradually without seizing up. As the dough begins cleaning the sides of your mixer bowl, stop adding flour immediately to prevent dryness. Letting the shaped dough rest on a cornmeal-dusted pizza stone heated inside a blazing 500-degree oven guarantees the bottom crisps evenly while the interior remains airy enough to fold without breaking.
Balancing the Peanut Sauce Emulsion
Treating the peanut sauce component as a simple hot-holding mixture ignores the chemistry of its fat-and-sugar base, which easily scorches over direct heat if left unattended. Whisking crunchy peanut butter, hoisin, sesame oil, and red wine vinegar together over low heat requires gentle management so the natural oils do not separate from the solids. The acid from the vinegar cuts through the density of the peanut butter while balancing the high sugar content found in both the hoisin and honey. Simmering this mixture for just a few minutes marries the aromatic ginger and garlic into a cohesive spread that coats the back of a spoon cleanly. Allowing this sauce to cool completely before assembly prevents it from melting the raw mozzarella prematurely on the unbaked dough.
Protein Swaps and Topping Management
Adapting this format for leftover turkey instead of chicken requires precise moisture control, as cooked poultry easily dries out under high-heat baking conditions. Tossing the diced protein directly in a designated portion of the spiced peanut sauce before layering shields the meat from direct oven radiation and keeps every bite succulent. Distributing the shredded mozzarella in two distinct stages anchors the vegetables and meat while creating a golden, blistered top layer. Post-bake applications matter enormously, which is why fresh cilantro and sliced scallions must be added strictly after the pizza exits the oven to preserve their volatile oils and bright green color. Resting the finished pie for five full minutes lets the internal steam dissipate so the melted cheese sets properly before slicing.
