0 from 3 votes
Pepperoni Chicken with Pesto and Cheese
Pepperoni chicken is an easy 5-ingredient dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
22 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 309 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
Italian
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!
Cup of Yum
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
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
% 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.