Corn, it’s one of those vegetables that says summer is here. Any which way you have it, grilled or boiled, on the cob or shaved, plain or with butter and salt, it’s a sweet and crunchy delight that you really can’t go wrong with. It’s especially great on top of this cast iron skillet pizza. The bold combination of spicy jalapeño, sweet corn, tangy lime, and fresh cilantro brings together pops of unexpected flavor in each bite. By cooking it in a cast iron skillet, it creates the best texture in the crust (crunchy on the outside, light and airy on the inside.) This is a fantastic way to pile on the veggies, beans, and chicken to have a complete meal…and you won’t feel guilty afterwards for having another slice!

KEEP READING FOR THE RECIPE…

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

the ingredients

• Lime Chicken Marinade (recipe below)

• Spicy Cilantro Lime Pesto (recipe below)

• 1/2 of a red onion sliced

• 1 Tbspn brown sugar (optional)

• 1 premade pizza dough

• 6-8oz. mozzarella cheese shredded or sliced

• 2 ears of corn shaved off cob (boiled or grilled)

• 1/2 can of black beans

• 1 tomato sliced

• 3-4 mini sweet peppers sliced

• cilantro, chopped to garnish

Lime Chicken Marinade

yield 2 chicken breast

• 4 Tbspn honey

• 4 Tbspn soy sauce

• zest of 2 limes

• juice of 3 limes

• 1/2 jalapeño diced (optional)

how to make the marinade…

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Place chicken breast in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 20-30 min or marinate overnight. Pan sear or grill 4-5min each side. Remove chicken from heat and let sit for 1min. Shred or cut chicken into cubes for topping on pizza.

Spicy Cilantro Lime Pesto

ingredients

• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro

• 2 1/2 Tbspn toasted walnuts

• 1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil

• 5 garlic cloves

• zest of 2 limes

• juice of 2 limes

• 1 jalapeño seeded (leaving seeds in will make it hotter)

• 1/4 Cup grated parmesan cheese

how to make the pesto…

Combine all ingredients into blender, pulse until smooth consistency.

how to make the pizza…

Prepare Lime Chicken Marinade, set aside. Prepare Spicy Cilantro Lime Pesto, set aside. Over medium-high heat in a small skillet, caramelize red onion and brown sugar until translucent, set aside. Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly oil the bottom of cast iron skillet and flour (or corn meal) the bottom and edges to prevent dough from sticking. Roll out pizza dough on floured surface to just slightly larger than cast iron skillet. Gently place dough in skillet, and let the excess hang over the edges. Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of Cilantro Lime Pesto evenly over the dough. Add toppings; mozzarella cheese, chicken, corn, black beans, caramelized onions, tomato, and sweet peppers. Fold over remaining dough to create a crust. Brush top of dough with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes (or 5-10 minutes longer for extra crispy). Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

**Note: If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, the same process can be done with a regular sheet pan although cooking times may vary. Rather than using premade dough, I’ve also used baked Naan bread or pita bread for individual size pizza.

(recipe + photos by leslie grow for designlovefest– want more food posts & restaurant guides? go here!)