Balsamic Beer Chicken and Caramelized Onion Pizza

I started making homemade pizza in college when I was gifted a stone from my godparents. It turned out this unassuming pizza stone (which at first seemed like an odd gift) was truly a godsend. I used my stone to make pie after pie for easy mid-week dinners and on the weekends for friends. Pizza-making while drinking delicious craft beers soon became routine, and is what got me into trying a lot of different kinds of beers. You could say pizza introduced me to the world of craft beer! Depending on what kind I was making, from savory to sweet to anything-in-the-refrigerator-goes, I’d want to pair it with a different style of beer.

We all know these two are a winning duo, but have you ever tried beer on your favorite pie? Even if you don’t have a stone, paddle, or wheel, this boozy pizza is a great reason to start making pizza from scratch at home. You don’t need all the fancy equipment either. Just a sheet pan will do if you don’t have a stone. This pizza features chicken simmered in brown ale and balsamic vinegar and onions caramelized with butter and stout beer. Add cheese, cherry tomatoes and some fresh basil for garnish and you’ve got yourself one killer pizza! Drinking the leftover beer from the recipes with your finished slice is also highly recommended.

Either make your own dough, recipe here, or get a store bought dough. This recipe makes one pie, so make sure to double it if you’re inviting friends!

Print Recipe

Balsamic Beer Pizza with Stout-Caramelized Onions

Balsamic chicken and caramelized onion pizza made with two different beers! Inspiration taken from: The Beeroness & Sarcastic Cooking

Course

Main Dish

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings

8-10 inch pizza

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1/4 cups brown ale or amber ale
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

For the Onions

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 white onion sliced
• 1 pinch salt & sugar
• 1/2 cup stout or porter

For the Toppings

• 3/4 cup pizza sauce or to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozarella cheese or to taste
• 1 bunch cherry tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves chopped
• feta or goat cheese crumbled
• drizzle balsamic syrup optional

Course Main Dish Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings 8-10 inch pizza Ingredients For the Chicken 1 boneless skinless chicken breast 1/4 cups brown ale or amber ale 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar For the Onions 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp unsalted butter 1 white onion sliced 1 pinch salt & sugar 1/2 cup stout or porter For the Toppings 3/4 cup pizza sauce or to taste 1 cup shredded mozarella cheese or to taste 1 bunch cherry tomatoes salt and pepper to taste 1 bunch fresh basil leaves chopped feta or goat cheese crumbled drizzle balsamic syrup optional

Instructions

1. Prepare pizza dough. If buying store-bought, it usually requires sitting at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Homemade pizza dough usually takes an hour to rise at room temperature. Allow to rise while making the chicken and onions.
2. Preheat oven with pizza stone to 400 degrees F. Heat stone while preparing the chicken, onions and toppings. If using a baking sheet, the oven can be preheated with the baking sheet 20 minutes in advance.
3. Add chicken breast to a small saucepan. Add brown ale and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cover, simmering over med-low heat for 20 minutes, flipping once. Beer and balsamic vinegar should turn into a syrup around chicken. If still watery, allow sauce to thicken while you shred the chicken. Remove chicken from pan and use two forks to shred. Return to the pan with sauce and turn off the heat.

   
4. While waiting for the chicken to cook, start on the onions. Heat the butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt and sugar. Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until softened. Add the stout beer and continue to simmer another 20 minutes until most of the beer has evaporated and turned into a thick glaze.

   
5. Roll out or stretch dough into a large circle on a floured pizza paddle or tin foil (can also use cornmeal to prevent sticking). Brush edges with olive oil. Spread an even layer of pizza sauce on top. Add cheese, caramelized onions and top with the beer glazed chicken (making sure to squeeze out any excess moisture). Scatter tomatoes on top. Season with salt and pepper.

   
6. Transfer pizza to preheated baking sheet or stone. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges are browns and crispy and cheese is bubbling. Remove and top with feta or goat cheese, chopped basil, and balsamic (optional).

Share this Recipe

I hope this cheesy, beer infused pie inspires you to start making your own pizzas at home. Different beers will result in different flavors, so play around with different styles of beer in your toppings. I enjoyed the caramelized onions with a dry stout, but a sweet porter would probably be equally good! One tip: make sure the beer you’re cooking with is one you’d be happy drinking too! There is usually plenty leftover 😉

Be sure to follow us on our social media and join the conversation with great people around great beers.