Recipe Box: Chicken Pot Pizza

On a night when I am out of everything for pepperoni pizza, I tend to be stubborn about the pizza part.  This uses the thin-crust recipe from Food.com I reviewed HERE, but I lowered the liquid content to prevent it from becoming soggy in baking.

Crust:

2/3 cups white rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca or potato starch
1 tablespoon sweet white rice flour
3/4 cup hot water
2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Cornmeal for sprinkling on pan (optional! You can also line pan with parchment paper)
Olive Oil for spreading crust

Toppings:

2 cups chicken pot pie vegetables (I used carrots, broccoli, garlic and corn, but use up whatever leftovers you have)  cut into small pieces.  These can be cooked or uncooked.
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup chicken gravy, or 1 cup broth plus 1 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup shredded cheddar or colby-jack cheese

1. If you aren't using already-made gravy, cook the broth and corn starch over medium-high heat until very thick, stirring occasionally.  
2. If you are using raw vegetables instead of leftovers, toss them with the gravy in an oven-safe dish, and leave the dish in the oven while it is pre-heating and pre-baking the pizza crust.  this cooks the veggies perfectly for the pizza.  If you are using cooked vegetables, just cut them into pieces, toss them with the gravy, and set them aside.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
4. Mix the yeast, sugar, and water in a bowl and set aside to proof.  If the yeast does not start getting foamy in 5 minutes, it has gone bad.  Replace it with new yeast.
5. Mix the starch and flours in a separate bowl
6. Sprinkle a pizza pan with corn meal
7. Pour about 1/3 cup of olive oil into a small bowl 
8. When the yeast has at least 1/2 inch of foam on the surface, mix it with the flours using a spoon.  It should be a thick batter consistency, like brownie batter.  If it is too thick (more like wheat bread dough) add warm water a tablespoon at a time.  If it is too thin, add white rice flour.  
9. Pour the batter onto the pizza pan.
10. Dip your fingers in olive oil and spread the dough very thin, using short pats.  If it starts to stick to your fingers, dip them in the olive oil again.
11. When the dough is evenly spread in the pizza pan, bake it plain for 15 minutes.
12. When it comes out, add the toppings. Start with the vegetable mix, then add the chicken, bacon, and a sparse layer of cheese.
13. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Notes:

• Heavy duty kitchen shears work better than an ordinary pizza cutter to cut slices with this crust.
• Ranch dressing makes a great dip for this, especially for kids
• If the crust comes out soggy, increase the flour/decrease the liquid for a crisper crust next time, and make sure it is getting the full 15 minute pre-bake at 450 degrees.