Pepperoni Pizza Chicken

Pepperoni Pizza Chicken: How to Crush it on Italian night

Around here, Chicken on Italian night generally means Chicken Parmesan. And while that’s never bad, sometimes you need something a little different.

Pepperoni Pizza Chicken is low carb, ridiculously easy, FIVE ingredients and on the table in under 45 minutes. THAT is something different.

Obviously, you can make it “meatlovers”

Or a Veggie Delight, but there is something so satisfying about a crunchy, slightly greasy piece of pepperoni.

Around here we serve it with “Zoodles” that are noodle shaped zucchini cut with a spiral slicer. I have the simple (and cheap) Veggetti Slicer (affiliate link) and I use it often. It’s held up remarkably well for the price. I have used my trusty vegetable peeler (affiliate link) to get wider “noodle” shapes, and those are tasty (and very easy) too.

Preheat the oven first so it will be ready when the chicken is.

Normally, we cut a slit in the chicken sideways when we are stuffing them, but in order to keep the filling inside, we are cutting down the middle of the chicken breast. Try not to cut all the way through. Put them on a heavily sprayed cooking sheet before adding some marinara. Look for very low or no sugar added marinara – some prepared pasta sauces are sugar bombs, and you don’t need that!

Prep the filling – combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix it well.

Simply pile the filing in the chicken before popping it into the oven.

After about 30 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken breasts) remove from the oven and add more pepperoni and cheese to the already delicious Pepperoni Pizza Chicken. Here’s where you’ll get the crispy pepperoni.

Cook for another 7- 10 minutes, and check the chicken at the fleshiest part with an instant read thermometer (affiliate link). When it reads 160 degrees, you are ready to eat!

Pepperoni Pizza Chicken

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Low Carb

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Pepperoni Pizza Chicken is low carb deliciousness in only FIVE ingredients. On the table in five minutes, this cheesy stuffed chicken is sure to please the whole family.

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• Cooking Spray
• 4 large Chicken Breasts, skinless, boneless
• 4 tbsp Marinara Sauce
• 1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
• 1- 1/4 cup Mozzarella
• 1/2 cup Pepperoni, chopped (plus garnish)
• Kosher Salt
• Crushed Red Pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F for convection or 425 degrees F regular. Spray cooking sheet well with cooking spray.
  
• Cut Chicken breast down middle of breast, opening it up with your fingers. Try not to open through the bottom of the breast. Place chicken on baking sheet.  Spread each breast with about a tablespoon of marinara sauce.
• Combine Ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella and chopped pepperoni. Put about 1/4 of the mixture into the cavity in each breast.
  
• Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes until the chicken is brown, and the cheese is melting. Remove from oven, and put several slices of pepperoni on each breast. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and return to oven.
  
• Test that the chicken is done when the pepperoni is crisp and the cheese is melted, about 8 – 10 minutes more. An instant read thermometer should read at least 160 degrees F when the chicken is cooked through.
  
• Serve immediately.
  

I told you ~ Ridiculously Easy!