Confession: I made this recipe for Pizza Baked Chicken one night when I really didn’t feel like cooking. I was hungry, for sure. I had to feed the fam. We didn’t have the extra money to eat at a restaurant. You feel me. But let me tell ya’, this recipe is dang good. Tender, golden chicken breasts are topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and spicy pepperoni. Bake to perfection and baby, you’ve got dinner!
Cheesy + Easy, You’re Gonna Love this Baked Chicken Recipe
Everyone needs one more good chicken recipe. Something easy, relatively fast, and that the entire family will enjoy. Pizza Baked Chicken is one for the keeper file. Plus, it doesn’t require a lot of thought or ingredients.
Seriously, it is THAT easy.
One of the best things about this chicken breast recipe is that it is prepared in one pan. That makes adulting a whole lot easier, right? Minimal mess.
You can change up the ingredients, too. For the sauce, you can use jarred marinara or pizza sauce. Or (I’m biased) you can use our simple homemade sauce.
Ingredients Needed for Pizza Baked Chicken:
- Chicken breasts or cutlets
- Garlic salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
- Butter or olive oil
- Marinara sauce
- Shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese
- Pepperoni
Simple ingredients. Simple preparation. But so good. The sauce gets all hot and bubbly and the cheese is savory and melted. Pepperoni gives this recipe that signature pizza flavor you expect.
TIP: For faster, more even cooking, cut the chicken breasts into half lengthwise to make thinner cutlets. Most chicken breasts are very large and enough to make one breast into TWO servings.
Top with any pizza topping you’d like. We kept it classic with mozzarella and pepperoni. I think next time we will try canadian bacon, too.
How to Make Pizza Baked Chicken:
- First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 6 chicken cutlets. Sprinkle both sides evenly with the garlic salt and black pepper.
- In a large, oven-proof skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Cook the chicken on both sides, about 2 – 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat. The chicken does not have to be cooked all the way through at this point. It will finish baking in the oven.
- Spoon the marinara sauce over the chicken.
- Next, sprinkle the cheeses and Italian seasoning evenly over the top.
- Place pepperoni slices on top.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, and serve.
TIP: Lightly browning the chicken in step 3 does 2 things. First, it gives chicken more flavor. Second, it locks in the juices so the chicken does not get dry.
We cooked our chicken cutlets 3 at a time. Once they were browned and reduced in size, we were able to fit them all back into the pan.
Winner Winner, Chicken Dinners:
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Pineapple Chicken
Cheesy Southwestern Grilled Chicken
This is such an easy weeknight dinner recipe. Serve with a side salad and crusty bread for a complete meal. It makes enough sauce to serve with zoodles or pasta, too, if you’d like.
Pizza Baked Chicken is also great for meal prep. Make it for 6 servings ready to go when you are ready to eat. 🙂
Attention: This recipe is low-carb, too. Great for anyone who is trying to cut back on carbohydrates.
Pizza Baked Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, trimmed, cut into 6 cutlets
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 6 chicken cutlets. Sprinkle both sides evenly with the garlic salt and black pepper.
- In a large, oven-proof skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Cook the chicken on both sides, about 2 – 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat. The chicken does not have to be cooked all the way through at this point. It will finish baking in the oven.
- Spoon the marinara sauce over the chicken.
- Next, sprinkle the cheeses and Italian seasoning evenly over the top.
- Place pepperoni slices on top.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, and serve.
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