Pepperoni Pizza Chicken is a delicious and easy chicken bake featuring juicy chicken breasts, crunchy panko crumbs, melty cheese, spicy pepperoni, and more! It’s like chicken parmesan but with a flavorful twist, combining the delicious flavors and ingredients of pepperoni pizza into a comforting chicken bake.
Why This Recipe Works
Easy and Efficient: With simple steps and common ingredients like chicken breasts and cheeses, this dish is incredibly straightforward to make. Plus, it comes together quickly, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Combines Favorites: This recipe brilliantly fuses the classic flavors of pepperoni pizza with the wholesome goodness of chicken, offering a delicious fusion of two beloved dishes. It’s like enjoying the best of both worlds in one bite.
Healthier Alternative: Swapping out pizza dough for chicken breast not only reduces the carb count but also adds a nutritious protein boost. It’s a guilt-free way to satisfy your pizza cravings.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list for this pepperoni chicken parmesan recipe may look a bit long, but they are mostly pantry items, and the rest are likely sitting in your fridge anyway. Let’s just get it going with chicken and panko crumbs; the rest will follow. M’kay? Cool.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: The pieces should all be roughly the same size. If there are any bigger ones, pound them down to an even thickness.
- All-purpose Flour: The flour helps the panko and parmesan stick to the chicken, creating a crispy outer layer. Gluten-free flour and cornstarch will also work.
- Panko Crumbs: Adds crunch and texture to the chicken coating.
- Garlic Cloves: Use fresh garlic, if you can, but garlic powder is also OK.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Offers a sharp, salty flavor and helps to form a golden crust.
- Salt, Black Pepper, & Italian Seasoning: A blend of seasonings and herbs that add classic Italian flavors to the dish.
- Skim Milk: We use milk as the liquid base for dipping the chicken.
- Olive Oil: Used for cooking the chicken, adding a bit of healthy fat and flavor.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Melts nicely and adds a creamy, cheesy goodness to the dish.
- Pepperoni Slices: Brings the unmistakable pizza flavor.
- Cherry Tomatoes, Halved: Adds freshness, color, and a slight tanginess, balancing the richness of the cheese and pepperoni.
How To Make Pepperoni Pizza Chicken
Putting dinner together is a juggling act, I know, but this easy pizza chicken can be cooked in one skillet! It was seriously so good, so warm, and so flavorful; it almost felt like sophisticated college food.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Mix flour, panko crumbs, garlic, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a ziplock bag.
- Pour the milk into a separate bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Dip the chicken breasts in milk, then place it in the bag with the panko mixture, shaking it to coat it evenly.
- Cook the chicken in the skillet for about 2 minutes per side or until golden.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken and bake for another 8 minutes.
- Add the mozzarella, pepperoni, and tomatoes on top, and bake for 6-8 minutes more or until the cheese melts.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Ensure Even Cooking: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before coating to ensure they cook evenly.
- Customize Your Toppings: Feel free to add your favorite pizza toppings alongside the pepperoni and tomatoes for extra flavor.
- Skillet Choice: Use an oven-safe skillet to make the transition from stove to oven seamless.
- Rest Before Serving: Letting the chicken rest for a couple of minutes after baking helps redistribute the juices, making it more tender.
More Easy Chicken Breasts Recipes
Pepperoni Pizza Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup panko crumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, or use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup skim milk, or any milk that you have on hand
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 10 to 12 pepperoni slices
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- In a ziplock bag, combine the flour, panko crumbs, garlic, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the milk into a bowl.
- Dip the chicken breasts in the milk, transfer to the bag with the panko crumb mixture, and toss to coat.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the bag and add them to the skillet.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on one side; flip over and continue to cook for 1 more minute or until lightly browned.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes; flip over the chicken and continue to bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove from oven; place the mozzarella cheese slices over each chicken breast, top with pepperoni slices, and halved tomatoes.
- Place back in the oven and bake for 6 to 8 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
