Pizza Chicken, a quick and easy low carb baked chicken recipe that is delicious and combines pizza and chicken! This homemade pizza chicken breast recipe is quick enough for a weeknight family dinner and kid-approved! It’s also gluten-free, but full of flavor with tomato sauce, spices, cheese, and mini pepperoni!
This Pizza Chicken recipe is a quick and easy meal that is perfect for a family weeknight dinner. Not a lot of ingredients and with a side of veggies, you’ll have a complete meal that even your pickiest eaters will enjoy. This low carb easy dinner recipe that combines pizza and chicken is so easy even the kids could make it and enjoy it!
I love quick and easy chicken recipes, don’t you? You may remember my Crunchy Mexican Tortilla Chicken and Caribbean Oven-Fried Chicken, two of my favorite easy chicken recipes. Love how easy these chicken dishes are baked in the oven at home.
Not to be confused with chicken pizza, (like from Domino’s…) this homemade Pizza Chicken is more like a chicken breast pizza recipe and it’s just as easy to make as my other baked chicken recipes.
There are lots of possible tasty variations for this low carb Pizza Chicken recipe. I hate to even call it a recipe because it’s so easy you can make it without a recipe! I wrote the recipe for 2 chicken breasts because the ones I had were HUGE and enough for 4 of us.
However, you could easily use 4 smaller chicken breasts or any number you need for your family. The recipe can be easily adapted as the amount of the ingredients for this particular recipe is really a personal preference.
Equipment You May Need
- Baking Dish – You can use any size baking dish you’d like. I used an 8×8 square baking pan but you may need a smaller or larger pan depending on how much chicken you are making. Be sure the chicken can fit in a nice single layer without overlapping.
- Sharp Knife – To cut the chicken before baking a sharp knife will definitely come in handy.
- Large Spatula – The chicken is kind of large and difficult to get out of the pan so choose a large spatula with no holes in it so you can all of that great sauce too.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
Pizza Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you could use thighs as well.
- Tomato Sauce – Use your favorite pizza or tomato sauce. You can even mix in a little basil pesto too.
- Cheese – Any type of shredded Italian or pizza blend cheese would work as would mozzarella. A little Parmesan cheese for on top after would be delicious too.
- Pepperoni – I used mini turkey pepperoni but you could use regular pepperoni. Bacon would be delicious too!
- Seasoning – Any of your favorite pizza seasonings will work great. I used garlic powder (fresh garlic would be tasty too), onion powder, Italian seasoning, and a little salt and pepper. A little fresh basil and/or oregano after you bake the chicken would also be great! For a spicy version add some red pepper flakes.
- Optional – Add your favorite veggies like mushrooms, spinach, peppers, onions, or whatever you like for a healthy version. I suggest precooking all veggies though. Olives would also be great. A Hawaiian version with pineapple and ham would be simple and delish! Or a supreme version with lots of meats and veggies. It’s easy to make Keto or as healthy as you’d like.
How to Make Pizza Chicken
- CUT CHICKEN. Cut chicken”hasselback” style.
- SAUCE. Cover pan with sauce then add chicken.
- TOP. Top chicken with sauce and seasonings.
- BAKE. Bake chicken until nearly cooked through.
- CHEESE. Top with cheese and pepperoni and cook until cheese has melted.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
Serving Suggestions
- This chicken dish is great with some veggies like Italian Green Beans or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
- Or serve with a simple garden or Italian salad.
- If you don’t mind the carbs, of course pasta would be a good option as a side dish. Or zoodles (zucchini noodles) for a lower carb pasta option.
- You can also chop up the cooked chicken and make it into a sandwich!
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Make sure your chicken is just about cooked through before adding the cheese. Otherwise, your cheese might get overdone.
- If you’re in a hurry, pound your chicken or use chicken cutlets and skip the “hasselback” cutting. Thinner cuts of chicken will cook faster. If you do have large pieces of chicken the slits in the chicken does help cook the chicken faster for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Be sure you use a tomato sauce you like as well as your favorite pizza toppings.
- If you’d like to add vegetables (such as mushrooms) on top of your chicken be sure they are precooked and add at the end to just heat through.
Pizza Chicken FAQ
How should I store the Pizza Chicken?
Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container with a lid.
Can I freeze the Pizza Chicken?
Technically yes you can, but some cheese may not defrost and reheat well.
How long will Pizza Chicken last?
Leftover chicken should last a few days in the fridge or longer in the freezer.
Substitutions?
Instead of chicken breasts, you can use chicken thighs. You can also substitute your favorite shredded cheese for the mozzarella or Italian blend.
Can I use low-fat ingredients?
You can use low-fat cheese BUT be sure it’s one you like and melts well. Use a low-fat pepperoni or low-fat toppings as well.
What else can I add to this recipe?
Add your favorite toppings such as vegetables (precooked mushrooms, onions, or bell peppers), fresh herbs (add after you have baked the chicken), and other toppings like olives would be great additions. You can make this chicken bake as simple or as gourmet as you’d like.
Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.
Vegan -You could substitute a portobello mushroom for the chicken breast and adjust the baking time as needed. Use a vegan cheese and toppings as well.
Vegetarian – You could substitute a portobello mushroom for the chicken breast and use your favorite veggie toppings instead of the pepperoni.
Low-Carb – It’s already fairly low carb.
Gluten-Free – It’s gluten-free. Just be sure to check particular brands.
Other Pizza Recipes You May Enjoy
- Snowman Pizzas (Snappy Gourmet) – A fun pizza idea for the kids!
- Almond Flour Pizza Crust (Snappy Gourmet) – A lower carb pizza crust that gets rave reviews.
- Arugula Prosciutto Pizza (Food Network) – Delicious toppings! Would be a great idea to put on this Pizza Chicken too if you’re looking for a low-carb option.
Hope you enjoy this quick and easy Pizza Chicken bake! My kids think this is one of the BEST recipes ever, haha! Tell me in the comments what toppings you added and what your kids thought.
Pizza Chicken Video
Check out this quick video to see how easy this cheesy baked Pizza Chicken Recipe is to put together:
Pizza Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 2/3 cup shredded Italian cheese (or pizza blend)
- 3 tablespoons mini pepperoni
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Make incisions in the chicken "hasselback" style, about 1/2 inch apart, being careful not to cut all the way through the chicken.
- Spoon about half of the tomato sauce into an even layer on the bottom of an 8x8-inch baking dish. Top with chicken. Spoon the remaining sauce on top of the chicken and in between the chicken slices. Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper on top of chicken.
- Bake chicken about 20-25 minutes or until nearly cooked through.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of chicken and in between chicken slices. Top with mini pepperoni. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
This post was originally published in March 2016, but updated in December 2020 with additional information.
Mary Kaye says
Love this recipe! So good and so easy!
Lisa Huff says
Thank you! :)
Marilyn says
What is the nutrition on this
Cmsources says
This looks like a fun – thanks you!
Pam says
I love this and I’m sure the kids would go crazy for it!
Jenni says
This looks like such a fun chicken recipe! I bet my kids would LOVE it!
Beth says
I love quick and easy chicken dinners! They are so delicious! My family will love these!!
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Pizza chicken! This is such a genius idea! Maybe it would get my kids to eat chicken more!
Jeni @ Biscuits & Booze says
This looks like a fun, kid friendly recipe! I love it!
Single mom cooking says
This looks great! Great recipe for my dinner!
Yumvilla says
This looks great! thanks so much!
Heather J says
So easy and delicious!
Becki says
This looks great! Do you know how many total carbs are in this meal by any chance?
Thanks!
Becki
Lisa Huff says
Hi Becki! The total carbs could vary quite a bit depending on brands and quantities you use so I’d suggest calculating it out for the products you generally use.