Thai Chick-Un Pizza

wheat-free/gluten-free (depending on crust); soy-free option

Recipe from eat, drink & be vegan.

Pizza has crossed over into almost every cuisine; this is my take on the popular Thai chicken pizza.  If serving with a salad, include cooling, crunchy vegetables such as cucumber, tomatoes and jicama!

Peanut Sauce:

2/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup natural ketchup
2 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos (for soy-free version)
2 large cloves garlic, quartered
1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup plain non-dairy milk or *light* canned coconut milk
1-2 tbsp water (or extra milk)
1 1/2 – 2 tsp pure maple syrup or agave nectar (optional, depending on sweetness of ketchup)
1 premade or storebought 10-12 inch whole-grain pizza shell

Toppings:

1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 – 1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 med/lrg pepper)
3/4 cup fresh or frozen pineapple cubes (may used canned, drained)
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
peanuts, chopped (garnish)
fresh cilantro leaves (garnish)

To prepare peanut sauce: In a food processor, add peanut butter, ketchup, rice vinegar, tamari, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and purée until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add coconut milk and purée again until smooth (add 1–2 tbsp water to thin if desired—sauce should be thick enough to spread on pizza and not runny). Taste test, and if you would like a touch of sweetness, add agave nectar.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220oC). If using pizza stone, place in oven to preheat, or line a pizza pan with parchment paper. Spread peanut sauce evenly on pizza shell. In a bowl, lightly flatten chickpeas with a large spoon (or in palm of your hand), and distribute evenly over sauce. Distribute bell pepper and pineapple evenly. Place pizza on pizza stone or pan and bake for 17–20 minutes, sprinkling on green onions for last minute of cooking, until the crust is golden and toppings have heated through. Serve sprinkled with the bean sprouts, and a handful of chopped peanuts and cilantro if desired.

Sauce Note: Since this sauce is rich, the pizza shell should not be too thin. Also, you may not want to use all of the sauce, refrigerating any leftovers.

Chickpea Note: I like to flatten the chickpeas before adding them, but optional.

Kid-friendly tip: Reduce ginger to 1⁄2 tbsp, and omit crushed red chili pepper flakes and perhaps onions.