Skillet Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Chicken.
This simple one Skillet Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Chicken is the perfect dinner to livin’ up any night of the week. Mozzarella stuffed and parmesan breaded chicken, seared until crispy and golden. Finish the chicken in a simple tomato Alla vodka style sauce with fresh burst cherry tomatoes, basil, and pepperoni. This dish has all the flavors of a classic pepperoni pizza, but in a skillet with cheese stuffed chicken. Simple, yet mouthwatering. Just be sure to top with plenty of fresh basil and serve with crusty bread for scooping up all of that delicious sauce.
There are times when I’m working in the kitchen and the days do not go as planned. It might be that I don’t have a recipe concept I’m excited to create. Or that something I was working on just didn’t turn out. Sometimes those days end with no new recipes created, but other times they end with a recipe I wasn’t even planning to create. Enter this cheesy, skillet chicken with all the basics of a cheesy pepperoni pizza. Well, there is no crust, so maybe I shouldn’t have called this pizza, but hear me out…
The crispy Panko breaded chicken makes up for the loss of carbs in a very delicious way. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pizza, but it’s fun to switch things up. So pizza chicken it is. Just go with it, promise this is a delicious skillet chicken dinner no matter what you’d like to call it.
I made this at the end of the day, just as the sun was setting…and my day in the kitchen should have been ending. To be honest, I made this more because I needed something to serve for dinner and not because I ever planned to share the recipe. That all changed once I started cooking and creating and just doing what I love to do in the kitchen. It smelled so good as everything was cooking. Then I knew I’d be recreating this to share with you guys too.
I love it when recipes come together like that. It’s how I first began cooking, and how my love of cooking really grew…just having fun and being creative. That’s the long version on how this recipe was created…that you probably didn’t need, but I told you anyway.
Let’s move onto the details already.
The details.
Start with the chicken. We’re going to stuff it with mozzarella cheese and basil. This means the chicken breasts need to be halved horizontally, then add some mozzarella, a basil leaf and close the chicken like a book. It’s a little weird, but use the photos as a guide. Promise it’s not difficult.
Next, coat the chicken in a mix of yogurt, then Panko and parmesan.
And now you have parmesan breaded and mozzarella stuffed chicken. Pan sear the chicken until the crust gets crispy and golden on both sides, then remove it from the skillet. Add in some garlic, some herbs, and tomato paste.
And now…some vodka.
Vodka. Yes. Vodka in your sauce…it’s the secret.
Let me explain. First, if you don’t drink, I totally understand. In this case, just swap the vodka for water. That will be totally fine and your sauce will still be great.
If you do drink, or you’re ok with using alcohol for cooking, you must add the vodka to your sauce. It’s a game-changer. The vodka adds a sharp bite that helps to balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes. When used in small amounts, the vodka will boost and intensify the aroma of the sauce. It’s not a must, must, but if you have vodka in your pantry, I would use it.
Once you add the vodka, toss in the cherry tomatoes and simmer away until the tomatoes burst. Then add the chicken back into the sauce, sprinkle on lots of mozzarella cheese, and add the pepperoni. Transfer the entire skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese melts and those pepperoni slices are crisp.
Finish with a handful of fresh cherry tomatoes and all the basil you can find.
SIMPLE, yet so delicious.
Everyone here right now loved this recipe, but then I wasn’t too shocked. I mean there’s nothing not to love about cheese-stuffed crispy chicken sitting in a simple tomato basil sauce. Classic flavors that never get old.
To serve, just add crusty bread and a simple spring salad. Great any night of the week dinner. This dish would be perfect for a dinner with friends…you know, once those are a thing again (hopefully soon!).
Also, if you’re looking for other sides to serve with this chicken, mashed cauliflower would be an equally great option.
Looking for more pizza recipes? Here are some favorites.
Artichoke Pesto and Burrata Pizza with Lemony Arugula
Or how about more skillet recipes? Enjoy!
One Skillet Cheesy Cuban Chicken Rice Bake
One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo
watch the how to video:
Lastly, if you make this skillet cheesy pepperoni pizza chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Skillet Cheesy Pizza Chicken
This dish has all the flavors of a classic pepperoni pizza, but in a skillet with cheese stuffed chicken.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or buttermilk
- 1 1/3 cups Panko bread crumbs (using GF, if needed)
- 2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 8 ounces dry mozzarella cheese, torn
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, plus more for serving
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup vodka (or wine, or water)
- 2 1/2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes
- 3 ounces pepperoni sliced
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the yogurt in shallow bowl. Add the Panko and parmesan to a separate shallow bowl. Season the crumbs with salt and pepper.
2. Slice the chicken through the middle horizontally to within a 1/2 inch of the other side. Open the two sides and spread them out like an open book. Layer a handful of mozzarella on 1 side, then place a basil leaf over the cheese. Close the chicken sides like a book, covering the filling (see above photos). Dredge both sides of the chicken through the yogurt and then through the Panko, pressing gently to adhere. Place the chicken on a plate.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and cook until the bottom side is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken and cook until golden brown on the other side, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and season with salt.
4. To the skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the tomato paste. Add the vodka, 1/2 cup water, and 1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes, cook 5-8 minutes, then remove from the heat.
5. Place the chicken on top of the cherry tomatoes. Arrange the remaining cheese around the chicken. Top with pepperoni slices. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted.
6. Serve the chicken topped with the remaining cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Enjoy!
Our Favorite Recipes
Strawberry Glazed Chai Doughnuts.
Awesome. Looking forward to making soon.
Thank you so much Joyce! xTieghan
Dry Mozzarella??? I’m thinking mozzarella in a ball, not fresh? Probably what you would use for shredding. Looks mazing! Can’t wait to try this! Made your Tator Tot Casserole this week, it was awesome.
Hi Lisa,
Yes, exactly that! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can’t wait to make this! The recipe says 2 chicken breasts but serves 4 people, is that correct?
Hi Alyse,
Yes, you are using 2 large chicken breasts, butterflying them, and stuffing them so it is perfect for 4 people! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Looks so GOOD! I’m developing this problem where I can’t ever decide what to make for dinner because my “recipe wishlist” is getting too long from browsing your site. Ha!
And first sentence of the post should read “liven” up, is what I believe you meant.
Thank you for the recipe!!
Haha well that is a good thing! I hope you love all of the recipes you try! Thank you so much Angela! xTieghan
looks so good!!
Thank you so much Ruth! xTieghan
This looks epic. Going to try it this weekend instead of getting take away pizza!
Love that! I hope this turns out well for you Ashley!! (Hopefully better than take out!) xTieghan
Looks awesome!! What size skillet do you use for this? 10” or 12”?
Hi Serena! I use an 11in skillet, but either should work great for you! I hope you love this recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
What makes you call it a pizza? 😭🤯
This recipe is wrong on so many levels… disappointing , love from Italy
Hi Marco! I am calling it “pizza chicken”. Almost like pizza on chicken instead of pizza crust. Thanks! xTieghan
What kind of pepperoni is that? Can you tell us what brand you used?
Hi!
I like to get my pepperoni from Whole Foods! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Delicious! Definitely could have used 1/3 of the Panko mix but the flavor is superb!
Thank you so much Shelby! That is so great to hear! xTieghan
So delicious! I just wish I had used sliced mozzarella. And maybe added some extra veggies! I might add some sautéed mushrooms next time.
Also, my breasts were pretty thick, so they did take longer than 10 min to finish baking.
Thank you so much Emily! That is really great! xTieghan
I might have missed something but greek yogurt was not a good binding agent… I did as directed and when I went to go flip the chicken over half of the panko mixture came off… What am I missing here?
Hi Sam,
So sorry you had issues here. It is important to let the yogurt drip off of the chicken and bit and then your really need to press the panko onto the chicken. I hope this helps. xTieghan
Hi – I’m excited to try this recipe for Sunday dinner. Unfortunately, Whole Foods is out of basil, is there another herb I can use for this recipe?
Hi Dominique,
Parsley would be great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This dish was so delicious that my family asked me to make it again the very next night, which I did. We love it. I did increase it by 50 percent to feed all of us (easy to adjust) and I baked it for longer as the chicken breasts I had were very large. It’s nice to have a recipe that is so forgiving in terms of adjustments. This is a keeper for us!
Thank you so much Leslie! That is amazing to hear! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
We made this tonight and my family scarfed the whole pan!! Will def make again. Thank you!!
That is so amazing! Thank you Jillian! xTieghan
I made this tonight and we decided we were making it again this week because we enjoyed it so much. I followed the recipe exactly (other than slightly less cheese on hand) and everything about it was perfect!
That is so amazing to hear!! Thank you Sarah! xTieghan
I made this tonight with my mom and sisters.
Everyone loved it!!! The flavours were so delicious, and it is the best chicken I have ever managed to cook 😋
Best Monday night dinner yet… so much so that it felt like we were celebrating something! We used chorizo in place of salami and instead of adding the extra cheese to the chicken when baking we fried it in the pan with the remaining breadcrumb mixture. So GOOD 😋
Ok yes!! That is so great to hear! Thank you for trying this one, Chantelle! xTieghan
I thought this was a great little weeknight meal. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand including a little leftover pepperoni from a few weeks ago. The only thing I was missing was cherry tomatoes so I used some crushed tomatoes instead. I was worried the vodka flavor would be too strong but it cooked off and added a little depth which I liked! I did add a dash of balsamic vinegar too. We had some leftover rice in the fridge so my son heated that up and drizzled the sauce on top. It was a winner for my family!
That is so amazing!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Tasha!! Thank you! xTieghan
Made this last night and it was delish 😉
Thank you Caroline! That is great to hear! xTieghan
We are so excited to make this tonight as a family…I understand what butterfly means, but Im having a hard time understanding how 2 chicken breasts will feed 4 of us. Do we cut the chicken in half after butterflying and stuffing it? Im trying to find a photo or video- Thank you soo much!!
Hi Michelle,
Yes you are stuffing the breasts with mozzarella and basil (stated in step 2). If you feel like it won’t be enough food simply add another chicken breast. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Had some pepperoni left over from homemade pizza last week, and chicken tenders in the fridge, so decided this was a perfect “use up the leftovers and staples” dish. Modified since we couldn’t stuff the chicken breasts, but just added the cheese that we would have used for stuffing to the top of the dish before baking. Also had some sourdough that was approaching the end of its self life so brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic powder and put it under the broiler for a few. Perfect to mop up the sauce. Great dish!
Thank you Rhonda!! So happy to hear that! xTieghan
This is so, so good. All HBH recipes we’ve tried so far are becoming staples. Like another reviewer, I had some issues with the breadcrumbs not sticking to the breast, but my Greek yogurt was likely a little too thick. Will probably try with buttermilk next time. No matter, this still tasted DELICIOUS. served with green beans.
Thank you so much Anna! That is so amazing! xTieghan
Another family dinner winner. Dredging in yogurt instead of eggs is a game changer in our egg allergic house. Loved this and it was pretty quick.
Thank you so much Jane!! xTieghan
I made this last night and used refrigerated pesto instead of the fresh basil. This was so easy and definitely one that I will do again. Sooo good!!!
Thank you Cindy! So happy to hear that! xTieghan
Made this over the weekend. It was delicious. Next time I’ll use ever more pepperoni. The flavor worked so nicely with the chicken. Thanks!
Thank you Tye! xTieghan
My six year old son commented “This is the first thing I’ve liked!” Winner, winner, chicken dinner, indeed.
Yes!! That is so amazing to hear! Thank you Amy! xTieghan
Greek yogurt is not a good binding agent. All of the Panko was left in the pan, even with extra oil.
Hi Audrey! I am sorry to hear that.. Is there anything that could have gone wrong before? I would love to help! xTieghan
Loved! The whole family loved it. My 7 year old, my husband and I all thought it was amazing. Thanks for another great recipe. It also helped me use up a bunch of things from my fridge. Thanks!!
Thank you so much Jen! That is really great to hear! xTieghan
I made this and it was delicious! My only issue was, after I dredged the chicken in the yogurt then in the breadcrumbs, I couldn’t get the breading to stick to the chicken. It stuck to my pan instead. Any tips on how to mitigate this? All in all, I was so happy with how this dish turned out. It combined some of my favorite flavors, and wasn’t too hard to make. I’ll definitely make this again.
Hi Andi,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe! Next time I would recommend letting any excess yogurt drip off of the chicken before adding the breadcrumbs. It is also super important to use a hot pan and olive oil to avoid the sticking. I hope this helps! xTieghan
This looks absolutely delicious!!
Thank you Tonya! xTieghan
Oh, wow! delicious! I had all the ingredients on hand (except the fresh basil, had to use dried). It came together so quickly with your step by step directions and produced a restaurant quality meal! Your right, plenty of bread to sop up the sauce is a must; it was so good!
Thank you Brenda! So glad you enjoyed this one! xTieghan
This was SO great! salty, a little spicy, and enough sauce to dip while you eat. Will definitely make this again!
Amazing! Thank you so much Cori! xTieghan
Love your recipes! Which brand of pepperoni do you use?
Hi Isabel,
Thanks so much! I like to get my pepperoni from Whole Foods! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Oh My Goodness!! This was the most amazingly flavorful dish!! Even though we didn’t have any chicken breasts in which to sandwich the cheese and basil that didn’t get in the way of it’s beauty! We simply used seasoned and browned chicken thighs which we moved to a platter to keep warm while we made the sauce. When we reassembled it all together to put in the oven we finely sliced the basil and stirred that into the sauce. We went the mini marinated mozzarella ball route and nestled those in as well. In checking on the chicken I noticed the pepperoni getting a smidge too brown so we nestled that down into the sauce for the last few minutes. And boy oh boy what amazing flavor!! And it looked so beautiful, too. Certainly a dish we’ll be making for quests when having guests is a thing again. You’re a genius.
I am so glad you loved this recipe Jo! Thank you so much for trying this! xTieghan
With a need to be GF, and low(er) carb, do you think almond flour would work in place of the panko?
Hi Shyla,
I haven’t given almond flour a try, but that should work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi!! Love this recipe and sadly never can get my hands on organic chick breast these days so I used thighs instead. I’m new to cooking, can you tell me how to cook this with thighs (skipping the butterfly and stuffing part, just using thighs alone with every other step except moz stuffing part) and still have a lot of success? -Marie
Hi Marie,
I would just increase your cooking time for the thighs to 5 minutes per side in step 2. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made it. Fail.. yogurt ? Lots of effort for an underwhelming plate
Hi Matt! I am really sorry to hear that! Is there anything I can help you with? Or anything that could have gone wrong? xTieghan
I didn’t have yogurt so I just used EVOO. It was AHHHHHmazing!!!! The vodka sauce, the cherry tomatoes are so sweet and delicious, the crispy pepperoni, omg all of it! My husband and I were wrestling for the pot for seconds. So good and easy! Thank you for sharing. Trying it again tonight with bone-in chicken thighs, I’ll take my chances!
YES!! I am so glad this turned out so amazing for you Liz!! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
WOW!! Hands down, one of the best meals I’ve ever enjoyed! I typically have never been a huge fan of stuffed chicken breast, but this dish changed everything! Such wonderful flavors married together, and the fresh basil & cherry tomatoes on top just makes it even more enjoyable!
The greek yogurt as a binding agent was a first for me; I had a bit of a hard time trying to not get the breading to stick to the pan but it didn’t stick too bad. And I actually used my own homemade vodka sauce recipe instead which worked beautifully! We had a loaf of garlic bread that we dipped into the skillet, so yummy!!
My husband said this was definitely top 3 of all the meals I’ve cooked at home, and I can’t wait to make this again! This will easily become a weekly meal. Tieghan, you are a mastermind! 🙂 Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Wow this is so amazing to hear! I am really glad this turned out so well for you and your husband Char!! xTieghan
Really excited to try this recipe, but have a question about the vodka. If you wanted to replace the vodka with wine, what kind of wine would you use? Thanks!
Hey Nicole,
I would use your fave white wine! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was absolutely delicious and was approved by both sons and husband enthusiastically. I did have an issue when putting the chicken in the skillet. The breading stuck to the pan. Likely this is user error but I would love to know your thoughts. I used buttermilk instead of yogurt. Skillet was hot and I put oil in it as instructed. I will be making it again…even if I goof again.
Hi Tracy,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, so sorry you had issues with the breading sticking to the pan. My tips would be a super hot cast iron skillet and oil in the pan, which you said you did. Maybe next time try the yogurt? I hope this helps! xTieghan
I loved the flavors in this, but had some of the same challenges as other commenters. Most of my crispy topping was left in the pan, not on the chicken. I had a hard time keeping the fillings from falling out and had to cook the chicken breasts about twice as long to get them cooked through. I want to try to rework this because the flavors were so good. Next time I would use chicken tenders and thin the yogurt with water or milk. I would add the mozzarella and basil on top of the chicken or among the tenders in the pan. Thanks for the idea!
Hi Robin! I hope this turns out better for you the next time! If you need anything, please let me know! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan ! I’ve been seeing lots of recipes requiring a cast-iron skillet, but I sadly do not own one – and apparently a regular skillet does not yield the same results. Do you think I could use a Dutch oven instead ? It’s the only thing I own that is made in cast-iron…
Hey Laura,
Yes that should work! Also, any oven safe skillet is fine to use as well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I just made your Chicken pizza for dinner.
It was delicious🤤 Chicken pizza has always been a family favorite but I think your recipe is now our favorite way to make it!
Wow yes!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Marlaina!! Thank you for trying this! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was INCREDIBLE! And so easy! Definitely putting it on my “will make again” list.
P.s. my mom gets SO excited when I try a new recipe from you because your recipes, as she put it, “always make her tastebuds sing” lol 🙂
Aw that is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much for trying this one, Lindsey! I hope you both continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
This was so good and so easy. I have a 3.5 year old stepdaughter who is not always the easiest to please when it comes to eating but this recipe did the trick. We didn’t use bourbon just water and she helped us make it and once again I’ve not been let down by Tieghan.
That is so amazing to hear! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Samantha! Thank you! xTieghan
Ingredients say Vodka or water but in instructions number 4 it says “Add the vodka, 1/2 cup water, and..”
Just wanted to clarify, planning to make it this week 🙂
Thanks
Hey Marie,
You can follow the instructions as is:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan