Pizza Chicken Is My New Favorite One-Pan Weeknight Dinner Casserole

Weeknights are not the time for trying new recipes that require labor-intensive cooking. Save those dishes for the weekends. When time is tight and everyone is hungry, you need a one-pan dish that tastes good and satisfies. It’s even better when that dish makes everyone happy. Impossible? Not when it’s One-Pan Pizza Chicken!

What Is One-Pan Pizza Chicken?

If you like pizza, then you’ll love One-Pan Pizza Chicken. It’s as simple as building a pizza (just the toppings) on top of chicken. First, chicken breasts are pounded to 1/4-inch thickness to help them cook quickly and evenly. Next, the chicken is topped with tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, seasonings, and cheese. Then, it’s all about the toppings, which include (but definitely aren’t limited to) pepperoni, black olives, and green bell pepper. You build it all in the pan you’re baking it in which makes cooking and cleaning simple. Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes and you’re ready to eat!

Make It a Full Meal

Looking for ways to round out the meal? We recommend serving it with a simple salad (use a bagged variety to keep things simple) with vinaigrette dressing and cooked pasta. If pasta doesn’t sound good, then go with rolls or a baguette. Dinner is served!

Tips for Making One-Pan Pizza Chicken

• Consider the type of chicken: We call for boneless skinless chicken breast here, but feel free to substitute with boneless skinless chicken thighs. You could even use chicken tenders!
• Pound it out: The easiest way to pound chicken is to place it in a resealable plastic bag, remove any air, seal the bag, and use the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin to pound. If you’re not up for that task, consider buying cutlets instead to save time.
• Choosing sauce: If you have a pizza sauce you love, feel free to swap it in for the crushed tomatoes and seasonings used here. And use as much or as little as you like.
• Customize seasonings: Speaking of the seasonings, add or subtract what you like from the recipe. For example, substitute freshly minced garlic for the garlic powder or fresh oregano for the Italian seasoning.
• Use your favorite cheese: We tried mozzarella but found that we wanted more flavor. Swapping it with Italian blend style shredded cheese added just the right touch. If you can’t find an Italian blend, mix some Parmesan or Fontina cheese with shredded mozzarella.

How to Make Pizza Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness 
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced pepperoni
• 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives 
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Spread 1/2 of the crushed tomatoes over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and stir to combine.
3. Lay chicken on top of tomatoes and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
4. Cover chicken with remaining crushed tomatoes then drizzle with vinegar. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning over everything, then cover with cheese.
5. Top with pepperoni, black olives, and peppers.
6. Bake until cheese is bubbling and melted and chicken has reached an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 20 minutes.