Pizza Chicken
Pizza Chicken is a fun and easy dinner that kids will love! Juicy chicken is topped with marinara sauce, gooey melted cheese, and pepperoni. It’s a simple way to enjoy the flavors of pizza in a healthier way. Perfect for a quick family meal!
This recipe for Pizza Chicken is so easy to follow, the kids will love that they can help to prepare it too. Shredding and sprinkling cheese is always a top favorite job of kids and there is nothing as satisfying as seeing a meal you helped with be put on the table.
This chicken finishes cooking in the sauce making it oh so juicy! Cook a pasta and toss a salad to go with it and you have got a perfect meal on your table that is a definite crowd pleaser, even if you’ve got picky eaters!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Kids love pizza, and this is a great way for them to enjoy the flavor they love in a way that’s a little better for them.
- You make this dish with only one oven-safe skillet so there is less clean up and more family time!
- You can add more favorite toppings to personalize each chicken breast, making it a little more interesting for the kids if they are helping to prepare this meal.
Is pizza chicken gluten-free?
Yes, technically all of the ingredients used in this recipe for Pizza Chicken are gluten free. You will have to double check your own specific ingredients like pepperoni, to ensure they are truly gluten free.
Ingredients for Pizza Chicken
- Chicken breast – Use boneless and skinless so the cook times in this recipe are accurate.
- Seasonings – Kosher salt, ground black pepper, Italian seasoning
- Olive oil – Offers a great taste but you can use vegetable or canola oil if that’s what you have.
- Onion – Sautéed to perfection
- Garlic – Adds the perfect bite of flavour.
- Pizza sauce – Use a jar of your favourite store-bought sauce or try making homemade if you have some extra time.
- Mozzarella cheese – Shred this on your own, it melts the best!
- Pepperoni – Mini pepperonis fit best on top of the chicken breast.
Helpful Tools
- Large skillet – An ovenproof skillet means less dishes because you won’t be transferring food between pans.
- Garlic press – Such a great tool to have on hand!
- Chef’s knife – It makes such a difference to have a good knife.
- Box grater – Shredding your own cheese is always the way to go. It melt so much better than store bought shredded cheese.
- Meat thermometer – Chicken is cooked and safe to eat when it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
More delicious pizza toppings
You can also try adding more pizza toppings to this dish before you place the pan into the oven. Some that we like are black olives, mushrooms and bell peppers.
How to Make Pizza Chicken
Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in skillet and add chicken breasts. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side til brown and set chicken aside on a plate. Chicken will not be cooked through at this point.
Add oil to the skillet and cook onion until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic, seasoning and pasta sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Nestle the chicken breasts back into the sauce.
Sprinkle the mozzarella over top of the chicken and arrange the pepperoni slices on top.
Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove from the oven and enjoy.
Pro Tips
- When you first take the chicken out of the pan, they won’t be cooked through but they will finish cooking in the oven.
- Chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Shredding your own mozzarella will give you a much gooier cheese on top of the chicken.
- If you have any fresh basil or grated Parmesan cheese on hand, sprinkle it onto the skillet before serving to add a little extra fresh flavor.
What to serve with pizza chicken
- Keep it simple with Buttered Noodles that kids always love.
- Roasted vegetables offer color and so much flavor to your plate.
- Every saucy dish needs a great Garlic Bread to mop up all of the delicious sauce off of the plate.
- We all know how much kids love a sweet treat after supper, so why not try super simple Sour Cream Cookies.
How to store leftovers
Store cooked and cooled leftover Pizza Chicken Bake in an airtight container up to 3 days. If you made a side pasta dish with the same sauce, you can store them together.
How to reheat leftovers
To reheat leftover pizza chicken, place in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will definitely be adding this easy Pizza Chicken recipe to your regular rotation! Even the pickiest eaters are going to love every bite of this juicy chicken dish.
More Great Pizza Recipes
- Kids can prepare Pizza Toast on their own for an after school snack before heading out for activities.
- Using store-bought dough is a time saver when you make Pizza Crescent Rolls.
- Of course, Air Fryer Pizza Bagels are going to be a huge hit!
Pizza Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts about 4 medium breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 24 ounces pasta sauce
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 12 slices pepperoni
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper, sprinkling both sides.
- In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high. Once hot, add the chicken breasts, and let cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the surface is golden brown. Flip and brown the other side. Remove to a plate (the chicken does not need to be cooked through).
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the onion. Sauté until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, Italian seasoning and pasta sauce. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Nestle the chicken back into the sauce. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the chicken. Arrange the pepperoni slices on top.
- Place the oven-safe skillet in the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the chicken registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy.
