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Pepperoni chicken is an easy 5-ingredient dinner that’s ready in less than 30 minutes! Chicken breast cutlets are browned in a skillet, topped with pesto, pepperoni slices, and mozzarella cheese, and then finished under the broiler.
Table of Contents
Baked chicken with pepperoni and mozzarella is a simple weeknight dinner that you can pull together in one skillet with minimal ingredients. It’s also incredibly versatile, so you can assemble each individual chicken breast with the toppings that your family loves. For instance, swap out the pesto for marinara sauce, or omit the pepperoni if your kid’s not a fan.
We love to pair the Italian-inspired dish with a side of pasta and marinara sauce and a fresh green salad. You might also like to use the cheesy chicken in sandwiches, atop a Caesar salad, or as a companion for a loaf of buttery, toasted garlic bread. It tastes like a pepperoni pizza; however, the chicken is your crust!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for this pepperoni chicken. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken breast: pound the chicken breasts flat into cutlets, or purchase thinly-sliced chicken cutlets at the store for a shortcut. The thin cutlets cook faster and more evenly than thicker chicken breast.
- Vegetable oil: for searing the meat in the skillet.
- Basil pesto: use store-bought pesto for convenience, or homemade pesto when it’s available. This ingredient adds so much great flavor to the chicken!
- Pepperoni: I used turkey pepperoni here, but any variety will work.
- Shredded Italian cheese blend: or use plain shredded mozzarella or fresh slices of mozzarella. The Italian cheese blend is a combination of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, and romano cheeses.
How to Make Pepperoni Chicken
This simple chicken cutlet recipe looks and tastes like a restaurant-quality dinner, but it’s made with just a handful of kitchen staples. You can’t beat an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love! I’ve included the detailed instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Pound the chicken breast into uniform cutlets, and season with salt and pepper.
- Brown the meat in a hot cast iron skillet.
- Top each piece of chicken with pesto, pepperoni, and cheese.
- Place the skillet under the broiler for a couple of minutes, just until the cheese is melted and browned on top.
Serving Suggestions
Pair the pepperoni chicken with any of these easy sides:
- Mashed Red Potatoes, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, or Garlic and Parmesan Cauliflower Mash
- Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce or Pesto Sauce
- Garlic Bread or Breadsticks
- 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- No-Knead Cast Iron Focaccia, Crusty French Baguette, Focaccia Bread, No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread, Soft Dinner Rolls, or Homemade Crescent Rolls
- Rice Pilaf
- Roasted Cabbage, Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onions, or Braised Red Cabbage
- Sauteed Zucchini or Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
- Sauteed Asparagus with Lemon, Garlic, and Almonds or Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Wedge Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Homemade Applesauce
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon, Southern-Style Green Beans or Roasted Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad or Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Storage Tips
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
To reheat the chicken, place it on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350°F just until warmed through, about 10 minutes. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- If you prefer dark meat, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Just pound the chicken flat so that it cooks evenly.
- Swap out the pesto and use marinara sauce, pizza sauce, or tomato sauce instead.
- Try slices of fresh mozzarella instead of the shredded Italian cheese blend.
- Prepare as many chicken breasts as you need. For instance, cut the ingredients in half to serve just two people, or double all of the ingredients for a larger family.
- Add sliced black olives to the top of the chicken — just like a slice of pizza!
Tips for the Best Pepperoni Chicken Recipe
- For a shortcut, look for “thin-sliced chicken breasts” or “chicken cutlets” in the meat section at the grocery store. This will save you the step of pounding your chicken flat.
- If your chicken cutlets are really large after pounding them flat, cut each one in half so that you have two smaller pieces of chicken.
- Try turkey pepperoni for a lower-fat alternative.
- If you don’t have a very large skillet, cook the chicken in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. Cooking too many cutlets at once causes the meat to steam rather than brown, and therefore prevents that ideal crispy exterior.
- Add as much pesto, pepperoni, and cheese on top of each piece of chicken as you like. I don’t usually measure — just eyeball it to taste. For instance, use more cheese if you like it ooey, gooey, and melty!
- Garnish the chicken with fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, basil, thyme, or oregano, if desired.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
Pepperoni Chicken with Pesto and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thinly-sliced chicken cutlets), patted dry
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup prepared basil pesto
- 12 slices pepperoni (I use turkey pepperoni, but any variety will work), or more to taste
- ½ cup shredded Italian cheese blend or shredded mozzarella cheese, or more to taste
Instructions
- Lightly pound the chicken breasts to uniform thickness (about ½-inch). You can skip this step if you’re starting with chicken cutlets (thinly-sliced chicken breast). Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a large oven-proof skillet (about 12-14 inches), heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, 2 to 5 more minutes. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Heat the broiler to high.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto on top of each piece of chicken. Top with a few slices of pepperoni. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Place the skillet under the broiler. Cook just until the cheese on top is browned, about 1-2 minutes. Keep a close eye on the chicken the entire time, since it can burn quickly!
Notes
- For a shortcut, look for “thin-sliced chicken breasts” or “chicken cutlets” in the meat section at the grocery store. This will save you the step of pounding your chicken flat.
- If your chicken cutlets are really large after pounding them flat, cut each one in half so that you have two smaller pieces of chicken.
- Try turkey pepperoni for a lower-fat alternative.
- If you don’t have a very large skillet, cook the chicken in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. Cooking too many cutlets at once causes the meat to steam rather than brown, and therefore prevents that ideal crispy exterior.
- Add as much pesto, pepperoni, and cheese on top of each piece of chicken as you like. I don’t usually measure — just eyeball it to taste. For instance, use more cheese if you like it ooey, gooey, and melty!
- Garnish the chicken with fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, basil, thyme, or oregano, if desired.
We love this dish. My family said this is one of the best chicken dishes I have ever made. Thank you. ♥️♥️
That’s so good to hear, Deb. Thank you!