Pizza Chicken

A top down shot of four pieces of stuffed chicken topped with cheese and pepperoni in a baking dish.

5 from 1 vote

This stuffed Pizza Chicken is loaded with with a delicious three-cheese and pepperoni mixture and baked with marinara sauce and mozzarella. It's a low-carb, kid-friendly weeknight dinner option.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: big servings

Calories: 368kcal

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 2 to 2¼ pounds
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese divided
12 slices pepperoni quartered (about ⅓ cup, packed), plus additional whole slices for garnish
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley or basil divided
1 cup marinara sauce your favorite brand

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 13- x 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut Pockets in the Chicken

Using a sharp paring knife, slice into the thicker side of the breast from the side, slicing lengthwise down along the side of the chicken to create a pocket. You want to slice through nearly to the other side but leave all the edges of the chicken intact. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.

Season the Chicken

In a small bowl, combine ½ teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper to taste. Season the pieces of chicken on both sides with mixture and set aside.

Make the Ricotta Filling

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, ¼ cup mozzarella, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, quartered pepperoni, garlic, 1 tablespoon parsley, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.

Stuff the Chicken

Stuff each piece of chicken evenly with the ricotta mixture until it has all been used (chicken will be very stuffed). Transfer the stuffed chicken to the prepared baking dish and spoon the marinara sauce evenly over each piece.

Bake

Cover the pan with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
Remove and discard the foil. If the chicken has let off a lot of liquid, you can spoon some of it out of the pan, if desired. Then, top each piece of chicken with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan and 2 or 3 slices of pepperoni.
When the oven reaches temperature, bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165 F. Set the oven to BROIL for the last 2 minutes of the cooking time to lightly brown the cheese and slightly crisp the pepperoni. Remove from the oven and garnish with the remaining parsley or basil.

Notes

This recipe yields 4 big servings. Chicken can be cut in half after cooking for smaller appetites.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate: Transfer the cooled Pizza Chicken to an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Use the chicken within 3 to 4 days for the best quality.

Freezer: Transfer the cooled Pizza Chicken to airtight, freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw safely and completely in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Reheating: Pizza Chicken can be reheated in a 350 degree F oven, covered with foil, for 15 to 20 minutes, or just until heated through. Or, use the microwave, cooking just until warmed through to avoid changing the texture of the chicken.

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