Pizza with BBQ Chicken, Bacon and Kohlrabi Greens

Chicken, bacon, sweet onion and kohlrabi greens over tangy barbecue sauced pizza crust.  Yes, I slipped kohlrabi greens onto the pizza.  Again.

I think I may end up posting pizza recipes a fair number of Fridays this summer.  I have some terrific pizzas from last summer that didn't get published in a seasonally timely manner (Peach and Hatch chiles for one, and Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Panini Roll for another) and my brain is a bit giddy with new ideas for both my new pizza grill stone and new deep dish styles. [Tonight I'm trying green tomatoes + goat cheese in the style of Lou Malnati's.]

I think, before it becomes OBE [Overcome By Events] I should share what we had last Friday Night Pizza Night. I mentioned we got a lot of greens last week--well some of them were attached to kohlrabi.  The kohlrabi has turned into dippers for hummus and will be rolled up in a tamago sushi whenever I get my act together, but the greens--well, they went on this pizza.

Ignore the fresh mozzarella--I was dithering as usual

 . . . probably should have chopped the onion a bit smaller . . .

For general hints, tips, and photo collages please check out my Pizza Primer post, a brain dump of all things related to making pizza in my home kitchen.  For a photo album of pizza dough troubleshooting tips, please see my FB page.

Pizza with Chicken, Bacon and Kohlrabi Greens

2 cups sliced kohlrabi leaves (from about 8 to 10 stems, stems removed and leaves sliced)

1 teaspoon bacon grease (vegetarian? switch to olive oil and use veggie 'bacon' bits)

1 pound prepared pizza dough (here are some suggestions for making your own)

¼ cup prepared barbecue sauce

1½ cups cooked chicken

½ cup chopped sweet onion

1½ cups shredded Asiago cheese (optional--a ½ cup shredded mozzarella if you feel the need)

1½ strips bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled (or ⅓ish cup bacon bits)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, place a pizza stone in the oven if you've got one, and preheat a medium sized skillet over medium heat. [Or be like me and squeeze everything into a tiny skillet because you don't feel like hauling out the appropriate size.] Heat bacon grease in skillet and add kohlrabi leaves, then stir to coat them with fat. Cover for 2 to 3 minutes until the leaves are bright green and wilted, then remove cover and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until mostly dry. Set aside.

On an oiled piece of parchment paper spread out the pizza dough to the shape that works for you today.  Brush barbecue sauce across dough.  Top with kohlrabi greens, chicken, onion, cheese (or cheeses, if you feel a need for mozzarella as well--I did half and it was good). Scatter bacon across the top of the pizza. [You may notice I call for 1½ strips of bacon.  I started with 2, but the family snuck bits so it ended up being more like 1½.]

Bake for 5 to 8 minutes on the parchment paper, then shimmy off the paper and bake directly on pizza stone [or cookie sheet] for another 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.  Cool on a rack for a few minutes, slice, arrange on a pizza-shaped plate, take a few photos, then toss the whole pizza back into the cooling oven to warm up for the family, take it out again, and serve.  [Or you know, skip that middle step.]

This post is shared on the Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Tasty Tuesdays, Fresh Foods Wednesday, What's Cookin' Wednesday