By Heidi Sutton
As the weather turns the corner and temperatures rise, opportunities for dining outdoors and soaking up the sunshine abound. Patio meals often mean fresh flavors, making spring a perfect time for heading outside with your favorite seasonal dishes.
Recipes for Chipotle Chicken Flatbread and Flatbread with Caramelized Onions, Bacon and Arugula make for a perfect al fresco meal. Prepared along with a fresh salad or simply enjoyed by itself, they are simple to make and let home chefs skip complicated kitchen duties without skimping on flavor.
Chipotle Chicken Flatbread
YIELD: Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 naan flatbreads
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic, diced
4 chicken tenders, cooked and cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Place parchment paper on baking sheet and add flatbreads. Sprinkle cheese on flatbreads. Top with garlic, chicken and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake 16 minutes until cheese is melted. In small bowl, mix ranch and chipotle seasoning. Drizzle ranch dressing on flatbread and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.
Flatbread with Caramelized Onions, Bacon and Arugula
YIELD: Makes 2 to 3 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 naan flatbread (rectangular shape)
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup fontina cheese, shredded
4 slices bacon
arugula
olive oil
lemon juice
DIRECTIONS:
To make caramelized onions: In pan over medium-high heat, heat butter and olive oil. Add onions and let sit about 5 minutes. Once onions start sweating, turn heat to low and cover pan. Cook onions to deep golden brown, stirring every 10-15 minutes. With 10 minutes left, stir in balsamic vinegar.
To make flatbread: Preheat oven to 425 F. On flatbread, layer cheese, bacon and caramelized onions. Bake 13-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and edges are golden brown. Toss arugula with olive oil and lemon juice before placing on flatbread.
See video for Chipotle Chicken Flatbread here.
