Pizza Chicken
Pizza Chicken is a flavorful dish that combines the savory goodness of chicken with the delicious toppings typically found on a pizza. Instead of a traditional pizza crust, the chicken breast serves as the base, topped with tomato sauce, melted cheese, and various pizza toppings such as pepperoni, vegetables, or herbs.
Ingredients
- ½ cups Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- ½ cup pizza sauce, divided
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 4 slices pepperoni, or to taste - divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). This ensures the oven reaches the right temperature for cooking, allowing your dish to bake evenly and achieve the desired texture and flavor.
- In a shallow bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper. Place the flour in a second bowl. In a third bowl, whisk together the egg and lemon juice. This process sets up a breading station, where each ingredient will be used to coat the chicken, creating a flavorful and crispy crust when cooked.
- Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture, then coat with flour. Next, dip the chicken back into the egg mixture and dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture until fully coated. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a baking dish. This double-dipping process ensures a thick, crispy coating that will crisp up beautifully when baked.
- Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the breadcrumbs are golden and crispy. This allows the coating to become perfectly crisp while ensuring the chicken inside remains tender and juicy.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce onto each chicken breast, then sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella cheese and top with half of the pepperoni slices. This step adds the classic pizza flavors to the chicken, creating a delicious, savory topping that will melt into the crispy coating.
- Continue baking the chicken for an additional 10 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear. To ensure it's fully cooked, check with an instant-read meat thermometer—insert it into the thickest part of the chicken breast, and it should read at least 160°F (70°C). This ensures the chicken is safe to eat while remaining tender and juicy.