Bottom Line: The Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pizza offers a smoky twist on the classic BBQ Chicken Pizza and delivers some heat.
California Pizza Kitchen is an international chain that has been around since 1985 and it specializes in–what else?–“California Style” pizzas. That refers to individual-sized pies with a thin, hand-tossed crust topped with gourmet ingredients not usually found on your typical chain resaurant pizza. They made their name with such fixtures as their BBQ Chicken Pizza, Thai Chicken Pizza, and Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza. (Notice a running theme of chicken there?)
CPK has long been a favorite of mine, but I don’t make it quite as often as I would like because there is not a location very close to me. But when the opportunity arises, I stop in for a Cally pie and a pint of Sam Adams (a regular among their taps). Most recently I was there and took notice of the Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pizza (they really do have other meat ingredients than chicken) and I decided to give it a try.
Following is what you get on that pizza: Chipotle adobo sauce, shaved poblanos and Monterey Jack with housemade roasted corn & black bean salsa, fresh cilantro and tangy lime crema. I ordered it on the traditional hand-tossed crust, though thin and crispy is an option as well. I noticed my pizza lacked much in the way of the roasted corn & black bean salsa, but we got there after 9 PM and the kitchen was running low on ingredients.
The sauce has a smoky flavor from the adobo sauce and chipotle chilis, finished off with just a bit of sweetness. The chicken is tender and flavorful and quite plentiful. The cheese adds a nice sharpness and some tang as well (Monterey Jack is a good choice here). The poblanos add some texture and a bit of a roast pepper taste. Together, the pizza itself is quite tasty, though I believe that more of the salsa and cilantro might have given it that fresh pop you get from their classic BBQ chicken pizza.
The first few bites don’t seem to deliver much heat. But after you get through that full slice, the burn starts to set in. It seems mild at first, but then it creeps up on you. By the time I was through half the pizza, there was definitely some fire in my mouth, and I would put this at least at medium heat. It won’t send chiliheads running for the exits (or the beer tap to dowse the flames). But the average mortal may struggle with this pie.
I often find it hard to get past the BBQ Chicken or the Thai Chicken or the Wild Mushroom pie because those are long-time favs. But I will definitely be adding the Spicy Chipotle Chicken to my list of go-to pizzas at CPK. Another good spicy option is the Spicy Milano which is more like a traditional pizza (and it comes on thin crust) but with a nice kick of heat from the Serranos. You might also think that the Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza would deliver some burn, but I was disappointed with that one when I tried it a while back.
CPK has locations across the country, and it is definitely worth stopping into if you find yourself craving a pizza with a gourmet twist. And even if you aren’t in the mood for a pie, the pastas and salads are quite good and they make a killer tortilla soup. Now, if they would just get a location closer to me.
Tale of the Tape
Serving Size: 1 SLice (6 slices per Pizza)
Calories: 220
Fat: 10g
Carbs: 24g
Sodium: 470mg