Pepperoni chicken 2 ways aka Pizza Chicken recipe
The OH moans I cook chicken too much (I think twice a week is totally reasonable). It’s so versatile, and generally fast to cook. Most chicken based meals I can get on the table in just over 30 minutes. Fast and tasty is essential when you’re working and need to get food on the table that everyone will eat by the time you finish work at 5pm. Yes, being on the farm means 5pm tea time is religious, so cooking while working needs to be easy and fast. In recent weeks I’ve done pepperoni chicken (also known as pizza chicken by N) two different ways and both went down well.
The ingredients are pretty much the same. Cheese, pepperoni and tomato sauce. You can also mix it up and get rid of the pepperoni and try a Hawaiian ‘pizza’ version with parma or serrano ham and pineapple instead. I’d love that, but pineapple wouldn’t be an option with the others in the house. Boo. I tend to also add diced red pepper for some extra veg.
The 2 methods only have a slight difference. I’m all for adapting meals to vary them slightly to create new ones. When you’re cooking for a family, you want to encourage them to try new foods, and cooking the same thing makes it boring. Making small tweaks gives you a different meal to add to your repertoire without it being a chore.
Make cooking daily family meals less hassle with these tips and tricks.
One is simply topping the chicken breasts with slices of pepperoni, adding grated or sliced cheese on top, then sitting on a bed of tomato sauce (or adding a splodge of tomato sauce on top)
The second method is stuffing the chicken breasts with a spoonful of tomato sauce, the pepperoni and cheese. Then dollop the sauce over the top. I use cocktail sticks to close the pockets (just remove before serving). And we had some italian deli ham leftover, so popped that on top with cheese over – it crisps up really nicely for a salt topping.
With both methods you get the cheesiness and the spice of the pepperoni to pep up the chicken.
See the recipes below, and let me know which you’d prefer.
Making pepperoni chicken (pizza chicken)
Ingredients for both methods to serve 4
- 4 chicken breasts
- 12 pepperoni slices
- 1 pack of mozzarella (I prefer the rectangular pizza mozzarella block that Morrisons sell, but any will do).
- Tomato and basil pasta sauce (chilled aisle tub, jar, or make your own)
See the 2 recipe cards below, but really it’s just a case of put the ingredients together and see how it goes! Both are such easy recipes that children could make them. Just help children with the cutting of the chicken, and make sure they’re careful handling chicken, washing hands after touching it.
Pepperoni Chicken pockets
Use pepperoni pizza topping ingredients to pep up your chicken 2
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts skin off
- 12 pepperoni slices
- 1 pack mozzarella
- tomato and basil pasta sauce chilled aisle, jar, or make your own
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan
Cut along the length of each chicken breast about halfway down to make a pocket. Don’t cut all the way across.
In the ‘pocket’ put 3 pepperoni slices, a couple of slices of mozzarella, season the top with a little black pepper if you want, then put in a shallow ovenproof dish. You can use a tin if you’d prefer, I just find tins are more hassle to wash than a pyrex dish
Repeat for the other chicken breasts. You can add more filling if you want.
Spoon the tomato sauce over the chicken breasts
(Optional – top with grated cheese if you want a crispy cheese topping)
Cook in the oven for around 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with green beans and mashed potato.
Recipe Notes
For mozzarella, use whatever type you want. I like the rectangular pizza mozzarella block that Morrisons sell, but any will do.
Pepperoni pizza chicken
Top your chicken like a pizza for a flavoursome main dish.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts skin removed
- 12 pepperoni slices
- 1 mozzarella ball or grated cheddar cheese
- tomato and basil pasta sauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200C/180C
Season the chicken with ground black pepper
Top each chicken breast with 3-4 pepperoni slices
Add sliced mozzarella (or grated cheddar) on top
Pour tomato sauce into a shallow ovenproof dish, then sit the chicken on top.
Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes, and veg of your choice.
Which would you make?
Like this post, try these other tips for nearby days out.
My fella says we eat too much chicken too but it is so easy to cook. These are great recipes, I will have to give them a try. I think my family would love the topped one especially. x