Something about this flatbread just says “California” to me. I’m not sure exactly what it is—maybe it’s the combination of contrasting flavors and textures from the fresh vegetables, grilled chicken, creamy avocado, and spicy sauce. Whatever it is, I love it.
One of the things I really like about this dish is that it’s a great way to keep chicken from becoming the same old boring dinner. Chicken breast is probably the protein I use most often, so I’m always thinking of new ways to reinvent it.
This flatbread is loaded with fresh vegetables like avocado, tomatoes, and red onion, and you could easily make it vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and bacon. The chicken is simply grilled, and I used reduced-fat ingredients for the cheese and sauce, so it feels indulgent without being quite as heavy as you might expect.
I know I’m a little late for the party, but shoot, this would have been a great Super Bowl appetizer! Oh well—summer is right around the corner. I can just imagine serving these at a casual summer get-together. I think they’d be a hit.
I can always test out this hypothesis. Any takers?
Ingredients
4 lemon-sized balls of pizza dough (I used this recipe, but if you’re in a hurry, you can use store-bought dough from a tube or pick up fresh raw dough from your local pizzeria.)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
6 slices bacon (I used turkey bacon)
½ red onion
1 ripe tomato
1–2 ripe Hass avocados
2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese (I used reduced-fat)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
While the oven heats, butterfly the chicken breasts and season them with a little salt, pepper, and the Herbs de Provence. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. There’s no need to oil the pan—in fact, the oil will just collect in the grooves. Instead, brush the chicken breasts with a very small amount of oil and place them on the hot grill pan.
Grill the chicken for about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Since the breasts have been butterflied, they should cook fairly quickly.
While the chicken is cooking, roll out the dough into rectangles using a rolling pin. I like my flatbread on the thinner side, so I rolled mine out quite a bit, but you can make yours as thick or thin as you prefer.
Lightly brush the flatbread with oil and place it on a baking sheet. Place the bacon on a second baking sheet. Transfer both to the oven and bake until the flatbread is golden brown, about 10–12 minutes. The bacon should be finished around the same time.
Keep an eye on the chicken while everything is cooking, turning it once to brown the other side. When the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a plate and let it rest for about 4 minutes before slicing it into thin strips.
While the chicken rests and the flatbread finishes baking, prepare the vegetables. Dice the tomato, thinly slice the red onion, and slice the avocado. Once the bacon is cooked, dice it into small pieces.
Remove the flatbread from the oven and transfer it to a serving platter. Layer the grilled chicken over the flatbread, followed by the tomato, red onion, avocado, and bacon. Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella and drizzle with the spicy sauce.
For the Spicy Sauce
⅓ cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons water
1 small garlic clove (or ½ large clove), grated
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Pinch of salt
Add the yogurt, mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce, and water to a small bowl. Whisk until completely smooth and free of lumps.
Add the cayenne pepper, salt, lemon juice, and grated garlic. Whisk again until everything is evenly combined and the sauce is velvety smooth.
Drizzle the sauce generously over the assembled flatbread just before serving.
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