Crave Wednesday: The Chicken Pesto Party

Thatkid, like most children his age, is very wary of anything green.  Which is not to say he dislikes vegetables.  He's a big fan of zucchini and lately has even taken to eating "salad" (which is what he calls lettuce in anything).  However, a sprinkle of basil is enough to turn him off of a slice of cheese pizza.  Kids are weird.

The very very strange exception to Thatkid's green aversion is pesto. I'm not sure how this originally passed muster, but he recognizes it from the get-go as something he enjoys.  He calls, and recognizes it as "green stuff,"  as in "can I have green stuff on my pasta?"  Although he is just as likely to ask for "green pasta" with the understanding it will come dressed in pesto.

Pesto is one of my favorite easy recipes, since the food processor does all the heavy lifting.  And it's hard to mess up.  During the summer, when basil seems to be abundant, we can't get enough of it.  During the winter, we run a little basil-dry and resort to store-bought pesto.  Trader Joes makes a nice alternative when you can't make it yourself.

Pesto on pizza can be overpowering, a little goes a long way.  Even with the chicken and pepper, it is still the star of this show.

The Chicken Pesto Party (From Cooking Light)

1 lb refrigerated pizza dough

1/2 cup prepared pesto

3/4 cup roast chicken breast, shredded

1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper

1/3 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano 

1. Preheat oven to 425. Roll dough into 14 inch circle.  Spread pesto evenly over dough, leaving 1/2 inch crust.
2. Top with chicken, bell pepper, and cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes.