Chicken Fajita Pizza

I'm obsessed with this meal! I took two of our favorite dinners: chicken fajitas and cheese pizza and created one insane feast! The chicken is smoky and moist, the onions and bell pepper are caramelized and fabulous, the cheese is sharp and stretchy, and the crust is chewy-crisp and perfectly toasty. One bite, all that action! Super simple and ready in a flash too! Watch me make it HERE.

If you like fajitas, and you like pizza, you NEED to make this! And since you start with store-bought (ready-to-bake) pizza crusts, the entire process is incredibly easy. In fact, I made my own fajita marinade from scratch (with pantry staples) but you can totally cheat and use store-bought fajita marinade and streamline the process.

I also love how versatile the pizza is. I chose chicken, but steak would have been amazing too. Or mushroom. Or a combination. You can't go wrong with these flavors! 

About the Mexican cheese blend: I chose the prepackaged Mexican cheese blend that boasts equal parts sharp and gooey cheeses. If you don't have that already, you can use whatever cheese you have. For the ultimate flavor partnering, try to combine your sharper cheeses (cheddar, parmesan) with those that are creamy and melt really well (provolone, mozzarella, Swiss).

For serving: I topped our chicken fajita pizza with green onions and cilantro. Definitely top YOUR pizza with your favorite fajita toppings, including (but certainly not limited to) jalapeños, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and avocado!

Chicken Fajita Pizza

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing the pan and pizza crusts 
1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar 
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into thin strips
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded cut into thin strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1 teaspoon taco or fajita seasoning of choice 
2 ready-to-bake pizza crusts of choice (I used two Mama Mary's 12-inch crusts)
4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or a combination of cheddar and mozzarella (see note above)
Chopped green onions for serving, optional
Chopped fresh cilantro for serving, optional 

To make the fajita marinade, in a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, honey, liquid smoke, vinegar, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for 1 hour (and up to 8 hours) in the refrigerator. In a medium bowl, combine the bell pepper and onion. Add the taco seasoning and toss to coat. Cover with plastic and refrigerate while the chicken marinates.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line 1-2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or foil. 
Brush a stove-top grill pan or griddle with olive oil and preheat to medium-high. Add the chicken, peppers and onion to the hot pan. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through and the vegetables are soft and caramelized. Remove the pan from the heat. 
Arrange the pizza crusts on the prepared baking pan(s). Brush the crusts with a little olive oil. 
Top the crusts with 1/2 cup of the Mexican cheese each. Top the cheese with the chicken, pepper and onions and then the remaining cheese. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the crusts are browned and the cheese melts. Top with green onions and cilantro (if using) and serve. 
Serves 4-6