Pepperoni Chicken with Pesto and Cheese

User Reviews

5.0

3 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    10 mins

  • Cook Time

    10 mins

  • Total Time

    22 mins

  • Servings

    4 people

  • Calories

    309 kcal

  • Course

    Dinner

  • Cuisine

    Italian

Pepperoni Chicken with Pesto and Cheese

Pepperoni chicken is an easy 5-ingredient dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes!

I Made This!

Be the first!

Save this

Be the first!

Ingredients

Servings
  • 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
Add to Shopping List

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Heat the broiler to high.
  4. Spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto on top of each piece of chicken. Top with a few slices of pepperoni. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
  5. 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.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Serving 1/4 of the recipe Calories 309kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 2g (1%) Protein 42g (84%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.02g Cholesterol 128mg (43%) Sodium 528mg (22%) Potassium 664mg (19%) Fiber 0.2g (1%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 461IU (9%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 106mg (11%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 309 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/4 of the recipe
Calories 309kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 2g 1%
Protein 42g 84%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.02g 1%
Cholesterol 128mg 43%
Sodium 528mg 22%
Potassium 664mg 14%
Fiber 0.2g 1%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 461IU 9%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 106mg 11%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Genuine Reviews

User Reviews

Overall Rating

5.0

3 reviews
Excellent

Write a Review

Drag & drop files here or click to upload
Other Recipes

You'll Also Love

Four Cheese Pepperoni Pizza Knots

Italian
5.0 (12 reviews)

Jalapeño and Pepperoni Pizza

Italian
5.0 (9 reviews)

Pepperoni Pizza Chicken

Italian
5.0 (3 reviews)

Chicken Parmesan with Pepperoni

Italian
0.0 (0 reviews)

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

Italian
0.0 (0 reviews)

Pepperoni Pan Pizza

Italian, American
5.0 (6 reviews)

Burrata Pepperoni Pizza

Italian
5.0 (3 reviews)

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls Recipe

Italian
4.6 (174 reviews)

Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna Rolls

Italian
0.0 (0 reviews)

Pepperoni Pizza Flatbread Panini

Italian
5.0 (6 reviews)

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

Italian
5.0 (15 reviews)

Pepperoni Pizza Savory Scones

Italian
5.0 (6 reviews)

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad

Italian, American, International
5.0 (3 reviews)

The Best Pepperoni Pizza Recipe

Italian
5.0 (15 reviews)

Vegan Pepperoni Pasta

Italian
5.0 (9 reviews)

Pepperoni Pizza Pockets

Italian, American
5.0 (9 reviews)