Pizza is one of my favorite foods ever. I've loved it since I was a kid and we'd get takeout pizza from our local pizza parlor. I was introduced to Hawaiian pizza at an early age. I loved the sweet pineapple combined with the savory Canadian bacon and requested it often.
Fast forward a few years to my newfound obsession with The Next Food Network Star. My mom got me hooked on this show because she has the Food Network playing on the TV in the background pretty much all day.
While watching the last season, I was rooting for Aarti Sequeira all along. She is someone I'd want to be friends with: bubbly, down-to-earth, and just all around adorable. I loved her approach to cooking: making Indian food accessible to everyone because let's face it, garam masala and palak paneer aren't exactly in most people's vocabularies growing up.
Aarti demonstrated a delicious Indian pizza twist in one of the last episodes before the big finale. As soon as I saw it I wanted to make it. Of course, when I got around to it I didn't quite have everything she used. One of the things I love about cooking is the ability to put your own spin on recipes, so that's what I did here. I used what I had and it turned out great!
Here we go. I used Trader Joe's Tandoori Naan, Trader Joe's Mango Chutney, fresh diced pineapple, Feta cheese, barbecue sauce, fresh cilantro, and leftover cooked shredded chicken. Too easy!
Preheat your oven and spread out your frozen naan on a cookie sheet. Bake it in the oven according to package directions to warm it up a bit. Get your toppings ready!
Spread on the barbecue sauce, not quite to the edges.
Top with your chicken.
Add the cheese, please!
Add your pineapple, spoonfuls of chutney, and cilantro. I'm getting hungry :)
Bake until everything is heated through. Enjoy!
This pizza was fantastic. It was so easy to make and came together in less than 15 minutes. Hubby loved it too. The flavors really work and it's such a unique twist on pizza. I'll definitely be making this again!
Mango Chutney Pineapple Barbecue Chicken Naan Pizza
inspired by Aarti's recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 package Trader Joe's frozen naan (Tandoori or garlic, your choice)
- 1 bottle Trader Joe's Mango Chutney
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (I had leftover chicken cooked in my slow cooker)
- lots of fresh cilantro
- 1 cup diced fresh or canned pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
- crushed red pepper
Directions:
- Preheat your oven according to naan package directions. Pre-bake your naan.
- Top each piece of naan with 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce, or as much as you like. Leave some space at the edges.
- Top with chicken, pineapple, cheese, chutney, and cilantro - however much you like!
- Shake crushed red pepper over the top if desired.
- Bake naan for about 5 minutes or until toppings have heated through.
- Serve and enjoy!
