Savor Cinco de Mayo with Shredded Chicken, Black Bean & Jalapeño Pizza!

Looking for the perfect dish to savor this Cinco de Mayo? This Mexican-inspired Shredded Chicken, Black Bean, & Jalapeño Pizza is the perfect choice!There is much more to this holiday, however, than chips and guacamole. Cinco de Mayo, or "Fifth of May," is a Mexican holiday which commemorates May 5th, 1862, the date Mexican troops unexpectedly defeated the powerful French army outside the town of Puebla. Although this is an important date in Mexican culture that is recognized with great pride, Cinco de Mayo is actually not widely celebrated in Mexico. In fact, the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world takes place in Los Angeles, California! Other cities known for their Cinco de Mayo celebrations are Denver, New York City and Houston.This delicious dish has lots of great flavor and is quite versatile as well. Feel free to add any of your other favorite Mexican-inspired ingredients such as cilantro or avocado and you can also prepare it for the vegetarian(s) in your life by simply omitting the chicken - it's THAT easy. In case you are looking for the perfect cocktail to pair with this dish, the Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita with Smoked Salt is an excellent choice (click here for the drink recipe)!Cheers, "Shredded Chicken, Black Bean & Jalapeño Pizza"Total prep & cooking time: 1 hour; Makes 4 servings1/2 lb cooked chicken, shredded or coarsely chopped (from a rotisserie chicken, or baked chicken tenders)1 cup canned black beans, drained & rinsed1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers (from a jar or feel free to roast them yourself)1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped1 Tablespoon Chili powder1 lb pizza dough (widely available at grocery store bakeries)Cornmeal for dustingJarred jalapeño peppers (fresh ones would be too hot!)1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese1/2 cup grapes tomatoes, halved1/4 cup pitted, sliced black olives1 scallion, thinly sliced1 cup shredded iceberg lettuceKosher saltSour cream for serving1. Set pizza stone on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. In a food processor, combine the black beans, roasted red peppers, garlic glove, chili powder and puree until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt.2. Stretch the pizza dough to a 12-inch round and transfer to a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel.  Spread the black bean puree on top of the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge. Sprinkle with the chicken, cheese, jalapeños, tomatoes, black olives and scallion.3. Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the bottom is crisp and the cheese is bubbling. Transfer the pizza to a work surface and top with the lettuce and serve with the sour cream. Cut into 4-6 wedges and serve immediately.