BBQ Chicken Naan Pizza

Friday is usually our weekly pizza night.  By the end of the week when everyone is tired from school and work, the last thing I want to do is spend a lot of time in the kitchen preparing a meal that most of us are too tired to enjoy anyway.  So, we celebrate our week's end with pizza!  While most of us like getting pizza from the same places, sometimes the hubby and I just get a little tired of the same 'ole, same 'ole.  The kids - they could eat the same pepperoni slices and buttery breadsticks until they turn into one - but the adults were craving something a little different for tonight's pizza affair.  Lucky for us, I had a few pieces of naan bread that needed to be used up (I'll share the Indian dish we had last week in a future post) and my creation went from there.

I really should learn to make homemade pizza dough (and maybe, finally, get out that BRAND NEW Kitchen Aid mixer I've had in the basement since our wedding - don't ask how long), but why slave on a Friday night when you can simply spread your toppings of choice on a thick piece of naan and throw it in the oven?!  I also 'cheated' when it came to the chicken - I purchased pre-cooked, grilled chicken - already cut into strips too.  I know, I know - but it IS Friday!  Here's how it all came together...

Ingredients:

Tandoori Naan bread, 1 piece for each person
Barbecue sauce (we love Sweet Baby Ray's)
Mozzarella cheese
Red onion, cut into thin strips or pieces
Chicken, cooked/grilled and cut into bit-sized pieces or strips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  While oven is heating, spread a generous layer of BBQ sauce all over the piece of naan, leaving a small rim without sauce for easy "no-fork" eating.  Sprinkle desired amount of mozzarella cheese over the top of the sauce.  Spread pieces of red onion and chicken over the cheese.  Go heavy on the onions (or other veggies if you so choose) if you're watching what you eat - although, chicken IS a lean protein.  To finish the prep, we sprinkled just a bit more cheese over all the toppings - you know, just to hold things in place. 

Place naan on pizza stone or baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until naan is golden, crispy on the bottom and the cheese is nice and bubbly.  If you prefer the crust a bit more crunchy, bake on the stone for 10 minutes, then slide it off directly onto the oven rack for another 2 minutes.

The thing that's great about this recipe, is that you can be creative and customize it however you like.  I think BBQ sauce, red onion and grilled chicken are a perfect medley, but I can think of many other combos that would be delish as well (pesto or marinara, fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil - for example).

If you like BBQ chicken pizza, you've got to try this super easy and super tasty recipe.  Ooooh, and it smells SO great while it's baking away in the oven.  The naan has such a great texture and flavor - it will taste like you bought take-out from a boutique pizza joint!