Chicken Pizzaiola
Chicken Pizzaiola is a one-skillet chicken dinner made with thin chicken breasts, pepperoni, garlic, crushed tomatoes, cream, parmesan, and mozzarella.
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Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut or pounded thin
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Sauce
- 2 oz pepperoni chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese
Optional Garnish
- Freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Season the thin chicken breasts evenly with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in a single layer in the skillet.
- Cook the chicken for 3 minutes per side without moving it, allowing a golden sear to form.
- If the skillet is not large enough to hold all the chicken in one layer, cook the chicken in 2 to 3 batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Transfer the seared chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the chopped pepperoni and pressed garlic to the same skillet.
- Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and the pepperoni begins to release its flavor.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt to the skillet.
- Stir well and scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen any browned bits from the chicken.
- Slowly stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated into the tomato sauce.
- Add the parmesan cheese and stir until combined.
- Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
- Simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Turn off the heat.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the chicken.
- Cover the skillet and allow the cheese to melt for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
- Serve warm with pasta, rice, garlic bread, roasted vegetables, salad, zucchini noodles, or crusty bread.
Notes
To make Chicken Pizzaiola gluten free, confirm that the pepperoni, crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and any packaged ingredients are labeled gluten free.
Serve with certified gluten-free pasta, rice, roasted vegetables, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, salad, mashed potatoes, or gluten-free bread.
Use a clean skillet, utensils, cutting board, and serving tools to prevent gluten cross-contact.
If using store-bought grated cheese, check the label, as some brands may contain anti-caking agents or additives that are not certified gluten free.
Avoid serving with regular pasta, regular garlic bread, or wheat-based sides unless gluten-free alternatives are used.