Spicy Chipotle Pizza
Apr 26, 2015, Updated Jan 02, 2018
Inspired by CPK's Spicy Chipotle Pizza, this vegetarian pizza is topped with Black Bean - Corn Salsa and Cilantro Lime Crema!
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Long Recipe Alert.
There I said it in the beginning so that you guys don’t get bored by the end of it. This is going to be long recipe because not only I include the recipe for this spicy chipotle pizza (the vegetarian version) but also for the dough so bear with me guys!
Now everyone loves a good pizza, isn’t it? My love affair with pizza has come a full circle. When I was kid, I used to love pizza like love love them. And then something happened and I started disliking them, to the point that I never felt like eating a pizza. I don’t know what happened, maybe it was the cheese? or maybe because I got totally bored of it. I know so weird! And then I started making pizzas at home and I fell in love with them again! 😀
In fact now I also eat outside pizzas once in a while but yeah I prefer homemade. One of my favorite pizzas in recent times has been the Spicy Chipotle Pizza from California Pizza Kitchen. Now you guys must be thinking I am a vegetarian so how exactly a chicken pizza is my favorite! Basically we ask them to remove the chicken and go light on cheese and then it’s perfect for us! So this vegetarian version of spicy chipotle chicken pizza is inspired from CPK.
This is not a copy cat recipe as I wasn’t trying to replicate it but yeah the idea is definitely inspired! Other than the dough, the recipe has 3 main parts-
✔ Bean and Corn Salsa
✔ Cilantro Lime Crema
✔ Chipotle Pizza Sauce
Before I start with the recipe, I would like to say that is the best pizza dough recipe that I have made and the only change I did was use bread flour! I have been reading forever that you need to use bread flour or 00 flour for best pizza dough [more gluten!] however I never had bread flour at home when I made pizza dough. But this time was an exception and I am so glad it was because the dough turned out amazing! Oh my god you guys, I am never using all purpose flour for my pizza dough again. Never. You guys have to try it to see the difference! This recipe makes enough dough for 2 pizzas. I used only one part here, I froze the other part and used it later for another pizza recipe.
To freeze the pizza dough, all you have do it dust it with some flour and place the dough in a ziplock freezer bag. When you want to make the pizza, take the dough out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Next day let the dough sit on the counter for 10 minutes and then roll it to make pizza! Simple right?
And now on to the recipe. I have divided this recipe into 4 parts starting with making the pizza dough and ending with the lime cilantro crema.
Don’t get intimidated by a lot of steps, this recipe is actually easy especially if you have to pizza dough ready. So to cut short the process, make the dough in advance, that way you can have homemade pizza ready to be served in less than 30 minutes!
Method
Bean & Corn Salsa
In a large bowl mix together chopped onions, tomato, black beans and corn.
Add chopped cilantro, poblano pepper and mix.
Add in lime juice, salt & pepper and mix till well combined. Set aside till ready to use.
Pizza dough & Chipotle Pizza Sauce
Let’s start making the pizza dough. In a bowl sift together bread flour and salt. Set aside.
In another small bowl take some warm water [warm tap water works well, temperature around 110-115 F degrees]. Mix in honey and active dry yeast and give it a quick stir. Leave it for 10 minutes to proof.
After 10 minutes, the yeast will be all bubbly and foamy as seen in the picture below. This means the yeast is now active and ready to use.
To the flour mixture, now add oil in the center.
Add the activated yeast mixture to the flour.
Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer or using your hands mix till dough comes together.
Remove paddle attachment and insert the dough hook. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes till it’s totally smooth. The dough should spring back when you poke it. You can also knead using your hands for 10 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl and coat it well with oil [both sides]. Cover and let it rise for 1 to 1.5 hours.
After 60-90 minutes, the dough would have more than doubled in size, as you can see in the picture below.
Punch the dough to release the air and let it rest for 10 minutes.
In the meanwhile take a small bowl and whisk together chioptle chili in adobo sauce (only the sauce), sour cream, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 500 F degrees.
After the dough has rested a bit, divide the dough into 2 parts. I used only one part of the dough for this pizza. I froze the other one!
Roll the dough into a 10 inch round circle and transfer to a pizza pan sprayed with non-stick spray and sprinkled with cornmeal. Brush the dough with little olive oil and then poke all over with fork so that that the crust doesn’t puff up in the oven.
Apply the chipotle pizza sauce on the base all over.
Top with sliced red onion, 1/2 of poblano pepper and shredded monterey jack, cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
Bake the pizza at 500 for 5 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 2 minutes. Take out the pizza, dump 1 cup of salsa over the base and bake for another 1-2 mins. Remove from oven. [Remember to drain the water from the salsa before using it on the pizza base]
Cilantro Lime Crema
In a food processor, add all the ingredients – cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, mayonnaise, avocado, sugar, salt & pepper.
Pulse to a smooth paste. Add little water so that it’s easier to drizzle on top of the pizza.
Transfer the cilantro lime crema to a ziplock/piping bag and make a small cut.
Drizzle the cilantro lime crema on top of your spicy chipotle pizza and enjoy!
* This recipe makes extra bean and corn salsa. I used only 1 cup for the pizza and ate the rest of it with chips and some toast.
* The recipe for pizza dough makes enough dough for two 10 inch pizzas. I used only 1 part for this recipe and froze the other part.
* The total time for this recipe includes the time to make the pizza dough. If you have the pizza dough ready, this recipe will take less than 30 minutes!
* I used a combination of monterey jack , cheddar and mozzarella cheese, you can use any cheese of your choice.
Spicy Chipotle Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza dough
- 2.5 cups bread flour
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¾ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 cup + 1 teaspoon warm water [around 110-115 f degrees]
- 3 tablespoons olive oil some more to brush the dough
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 poblano pepper, divided
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mix of cheddar & mozarella cheese, grated
Bean & Corn Salsa
- 1 can black bean [15 oz can]
- 1 can sweet corn kernel [15 oz can]
- 1 to mato chopped
- 1 red onion small, chopped
- ½ of poblano pepper
- ⅓ cup cilantro packed
- 3-4 teaspoons lime juice
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Chipotle pizza sauce
- 2.5 tablespoons sour cream
- ¾ teaspoon lime juice
- 2.25 teaspoons adobo sauce chipotle chili in adobo sauce
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Cilantro Lime Crema
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2-3 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons cilantro
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- ½ avocado diced
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- water little
Instructions
Bean & Corn Salsa
- In a large bowl mix together chopped onions, tomato, black beans and corn.
- Add chopped cilantro, poblano pepper and mix.
- Add in lime juice, salt & pepper and mix till well combined. Set aside till ready to use.
Pizza dough & Chipotle Pizza Sauce
- Let's start making the pizza dough. In a bowl sift together bread flour and salt. Set aside.
- In another small bowl take some warm water [warm tap water works well, temperature around 110-115 F degrees].
- Mix in honey and active dry yeast and give it a quick stir. Leave it for 10 minutes to proof.
- After 10 minutes, the yeast will be all bubbly and foamy as seen in the picture below. This means the yeast is now active and ready to use.
- To the flour mixture, now add oil in the center.
- Add the activated yeast mixture to the flour.
- Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer or using your hands mix till dough comes together.
- Remove paddle attachment and insert the dough hook. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes till it's totally smooth. The dough should spring back when you poke it. You can also knead using your hands for 10 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl and coat it well with oil [both sides]. Cover and let it rise for 1 to 1.5 hours.
- After 60-90 minutes, the dough would have more than doubled in size, as you can see in the picture above.
- Punch the dough to release the air and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- In the meanwhile take a small bowl and whisk together chioptle chili in adobo sauce (only the sauce), sour cream, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 500 F degrees.
- After the dough has rested a bit, divide the dough into 2 parts. I used only one part of the dough for this pizza. I froze the other one!
- Roll the dough into a 10 inch round circle and transfer to a pizza pan sprayed with non-stick spray and sprinkled with cornmeal.
- Brush the dough with little olive oil and then poke all over with fork so that that the crust doesn't puff up in the oven.
- Apply the chipotle pizza sauce on the base all pizza base.
- Top with sliced red onion, 1/2 of poblano pepper and shredded monterey jack, cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake the pizza at 500 for 5 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 2 minutes. Take out the pizza, dump 1 cup of bean and corn salsa over the base and bake for another 1-2 mins. Remove from oven. [Remember to drain the water from the salsa before using it on the pizza base]
Cilantro Lime Crema
- In a food processor, add all the ingredients - cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, mayonnaise, avocado, sugar, salt & pepper.
- Pulse to a smooth paste. Add little water so that it's easier to drizzle on top of the pizza.
- Transfer the cilantro lime crema to a ziplock/piping bag and make a small cut at the bottom.
- Drizzle the cilantro lime crema on top of your spicy chipotle pizza and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Spicy Chipotle Pizza
Hi Manali,
Thanks for this great recipe. My family loves CPK’s Chipotle Chiken without Chiken. I am not great (hardly) cook but my daughter (13 years) and we wanted to surprise my wife with something different and your recipe did the trick. Even my daughter could make the perfect line sauce following your recipe. End result was perfect and delicious. Just that now demand is for CPK’s Tostada at Home :-).
So glad to hear that Kalpesh 🙂
Made this tonite and everyone loved it . Thanks for a delicious pizza that does not require tomato sauce
Didn’t have the poblano so used green pepper , no adobo sauce so I island chipotle pepper powder , no avocado so I skipped the Crema.
Still came out yummy . Best thin crust I’ve made at home
Thanks Manali !
You are welcome Usga! It’s one of my favorite pizza recipes and I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I made a variation of this. I had leftover salsa verde chicken that I mixed it into the bean & corn salsa, and used Naan instead of making the dough. I followed everything else exactly. This was delicious!! Thank you for the recipe.
Welcome 🙂
Made this pizza for party and it was a hit !! Devoured within minutes by everyone !Thanks for the detailed recipe:)
Glad everyone enjoyed it Monali!
Hi Manali, I wanted to know if the cilantro lime crema will turn brownish if I made it a 4-5 hours before serving. I want to make this when my friends visit for dinner, and ideally would like to have it all ready in the morning. I am worried about the avacado turning brown…what do you think? Thanks for sharing this recipe, cant wait to try!
Hello Saee! I have actually not tried storing it but I would say go for it! Just cover it tightly with a cling wrap with the cling wrap touching the surface of the lime crema. Worst case, the outermost layer will turn brown (that’s my guess based on what happens with avocado!) and you could still use the remaining crema. I hope it works! 🙂
Ok! will let you know how it goes 🙂 Thanks!
Hi I stored the cilantro lime crema in fridge for more than a week. It was perfectly fine. Taste also didn’t changed.
Lovely pizza… being a vegetarian myself, this recipe is perfect for me…will try it soon:)
I hope you like it Shubha!
Now that s one mean pizza with so much yum. I really won’t know where to begin eating!
haha thanks Anusha! 🙂
Want to grab that pizza right off the screen!!!! Scrumptious!
Thank you dear 🙂
Manali, this is a gorgeous and colourful pizza! Full of veggies just the way I like. My next post will be a pizza too 🙂
No I am still not receiving your updates, I checked the subscription details and they all seem correct. Well, I will stop by often to see what you are up to anyway. Have a great weekend!
I look forward to your pizza post! 🙂 Thank you dear! Not sure what it wrong but thank you so much for dropping by!
this pizza looks absolutely amazing! I love that it’s spicy and has so many veggies on top! YUMMM 😉
Thanks Michele! I can never have enough of veggies!
Oh my….I can’t even handle all the color and flavor going on here! This pizza looks spectacular! My hubby would love this!
Thanks Annie! The pizza was surely very flavorful!
Wow! This is totally my kinda food! Love the flavors you have put together, Manali! This pizza looks killer! We are fan of CPK these days and I’ll sure try this recipe soon! pining, of course!
I knew you would it love it Savita 😉 thanks friend!
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Hahaha! Loved that long recipe alert! 🙂 And chipotle pizza looks SPICINGLY yummy, awesome and inviting. Would sure love to give it a try! Pinning! 🙂
haha yeah I realized that it would be a long recipe as soon as I started typing so I thought I should warn my readers in advance. Thanks Anu! 🙂
This pizza looks incredible, Manali! I love the colors from the toppings and the spicy chipotle flavor sounds perfect!
Thanks Kelly, the colors were just gorgeous! 🙂
Gahhh I SO want this for the next pizza night we have! Seriously swooning here over all that Mexican-style goodness! Gorgeous photos too, Manali!
Thank you Sarah! 🙂
This pizza looks amazing, Manali! We’ve been making some fun pizzas around here on Friday nights lately, and this Spicy Chipotle Pizza might need to make an appearance soon. I’m with you on the homemade pizza thing, too. Sometimes we’ll hit up a pizza place around the corner from us, but we greatly prefer just making our own at home. And yes, yes, yes to the bread flour! Now you need to make some bread and bagels. 🙂
I definitely need to make breads and bagels asap! Thanks David!
Love, love, love this pizza! I agree that homemade pizza is so much better and this spicy chipotle version has my mouth watering! Pinning!
Thanks Jen! 🙂
Manali, I LOVE this pizza!!!! what a great idea!!! I haven’t been to a CPK in YEARS so this one is new to me!!! love and pinned!!!
Thanks Alice! We usually get this pizza when we go to CPK!!
Already told you on insta that i just loooooved the pic. i toh just kept looking at your dough bubbles, what beauty.
I must try this pizza coz i love corn and beans and thin crust.
this looks super yummy and inviting 🙂
Thanks Shweta! Yes I love thin crust too! 🙂
Sally this looks seriously so yummy and I love a good thin crust!
Thanks Ami!
Oh this pizza sounds fantastic, Manali! I love the chipotle flavor. Looks like the perfect pizza!
Thanks Gayle! It was full of flavors!
Wow…super awesome Lovely presentation as always. Very scrumptious and healthy pizza topping ..Visually beautiful too. In Madhuri Dixit Style… PERFECT.
Thank you dear..haha love the madhuri dixit style perfect! 😀
We love homemade pizza at our place! I can’t wait to try this spicy vegetarian version! I love the sound of the cilantro lime crema to top everything off 🙂 Perfect for a weekend family feast!
Thanks Ami! homemade pizzas are the best 🙂
Love this pizza Manali! I really wanted to make pizza this weekend, but had no time… Definitely trying this recipe soon 🙂
Thanks Mira! Hope you give this a try!
This is hands-down one of the prettiest pizzas that I’ve ever seen! And the flavors are just bursting off my screen!
Thank you Sonali! Glad you like it 🙂
Yum! This pizza is packed with delicious flavors.
Thanks Sarah!
Wonderful presentation n pictures..yummy pizza..
Thank you Maha!
What a great combo..Perfect droolicious pizza.
Thanks Sathya!
What a great looking pizza! That cilantro lime cream would be great for the salad too :-))
Oh yes it would be great on salads too! 🙂 Thanks Angie!