BBQ Chicken Pizzas

Being on a diet or living a lifestyle of eating healthy foods does not mean you have to live on boring, tasteless foods! Many of what we consider "comfort foods" or "cheat meals" don't have to be! 

Pizza is one of my favorite foods. Lucky for me there are plenty of healthy alternatives to the greasy stuff you order to go. Here is a recipe for BBQ Chicken Pizza courtesy of Clean Eating Magazine.. Enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 5-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 lb ball whole-wheat pizza dough, room temperature 
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

SAUCE:

• 3/4 cup boxed or jarred unsalted tomato sauce 
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup Sucanat
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tbsp smoked Spanish paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan on high, combine all sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes, until thickened. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place chicken in a wide, deep skillet with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low; cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 450ºF. 
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle flour over work surface and roll out dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut circles of dough and transfer to two parchment-lined baking sheets. Gather dough scraps and roll again as needed to make 36 circles. 
4. Transfer sauce to a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl. Shred chicken finely and add to bowl. Add red onion and stir to combine. Top each mini pizza with chicken mixture and cheese, dividing evenly. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese is melted and lightly browned, and dough is crisp around the edges. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Nutrients per serving (3 mini pizzas): Calories: 247, Total Fats: 6 g, Sat. Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 34 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 6 g, Protein: 14 g, Sodium: 254 mg, Cholesterol: 20 mg