Cookbook:Nigerian Chicken Suya Pizza

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

Nigerian chicken suya pizza is a type of Nigerian pizza made with chicken and flavored with a mixture of spices. Pizza is a common food in Nigeria—although it is a foreign import, it is now widespread.

Ingredients

Dough

• All-purpose flour
• Yeast
• Nutmeg
• Sugar
• Olive oil
• Oil for greasing the dough

Pizza sauce

• Tomatoes
• Red bell pepper
• Red onion
• Garlic
• Bouillon powder
• Ata rodo or habanero chile (optional)

Chicken

• Chicken breast
• Yaji powder
• Peanut oil
• Salt
• Butter
• Chili pepper (optional)

Topping

• Onion, sliced
• Maggi, crushed
• Cheese, shredded or sliced
• Tomatoes, sliced
• Green bell pepper (optional), sliced

Equipment

• Knife
• Oven
• Mixture bowl
• Slicer
• Pot

Procedure

Dough

1. Combine the flour, yeast, nutmeg, and sugar.
2. Mix in the olive oil and enough water to make a medium-soft dough. If the dough becomes too hard, add a small amount of water to soften. If the dough becomes too soft, knead in a few dustings of flour.
3. Knead the dough well for a few minutes.
4. Coat the dough with 1 tsp oil, then place it in a greased bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hr until doubled in volume.

Pizza sauce

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, bouillon, and ata rodo. Cook until softened and saucy.
2. To prevent an oily mess, drain the oil after seasoning and frying until the oil floats to the top.

Chicken

1. Clean the chicken, then pat it dry.
2. Season the chicken with salt, and let it rest for a little while.
3. Combine the oil, yaji powder, and chili pepper. Add the chicken, and allow it to marinate for 20-60 minutes.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a pan. Sear the chicken on all sides until just beginning to turn golden.
5. Transfer the pan of chicken to a 350˚F oven, and bake until cooked through. If you don't have an oven, you can use your stovetop to sear on medium heat until cooked through.
6. Let rest for 10 minutes to prevent the cooked chicken from losing its juices when cut.
7. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Assembly

1. Punch down the dough to deflate it, then gently knead for about 5 minutes on a flour-dusted work surface.
2. Use a rolling pin and your hands to flatten the dough into a thin round pizza crust.
3. Brush the crust with 1 tsp oil. Spread the sauce over the top, leaving a border about 1 inch wide. Scatter the shredded chicken and the toppings on top of the sauce.
4. Bake the pizza for 8-15 minutes at 400˚F until done. The crust should be well-browned on the bottom and edges, and the cheese should be melted.

Notes, tips, and variations

• Instead of the pizza sauce, you can use already-prepared Nigerian stew.