Why You Should Start Dressing Up Your Chicken In Pizza Toppings

Is your chicken dinner in need of a makeover? It's time to doll up your basic weeknight regular by dressing up your protein in pizza toppings. This easy tip recreates the typical flavors and aromas that feature in an Italian pizza, from oregano and basil to gooey cheese and meaty pepperoni, without the need to prep a time-consuming bread dough in advance. What's more, the recipe is extremely flexible; it's a culinary philosophy rather than a fixed decree. All you need to make this low-carb meal are a couple of chicken breasts and a few of your favorite pizza toppings to accessorize with.

While you can make a pocket in the breast and stuff it with a filling as a sort of chicken-as-the-bread calzone (not unlike a chicken Kiev), spreading pizza sauce directly over the chicken and strewing over some mozzarella and pepperoni is even more of a breeze. This keto-friendly dish is a delicious weeknight dinner that can be prepped in a flash, tastes amazing, and can be customized to your liking with anything from mild mozzarella and tangy pecorino to regular old cheddar. Simply smother your chicken breast in sauce, cheese, and toppings before baking in the oven for a tasty meal that's ready in under 30 minutes. Why not go the Hawaiian route and top your chicken with ham and pineapple or scatter over sliced jalapenos for a spicier Mexican-style kick?

We recommend opting for a thinner chicken cutlet over a thick chicken breast if you want the perfect ratio of protein to toppings in your dish. You can achieve this by slicing your chicken breasts horizontally to make thinner cuts, pounding them with a rolling pin, or butterflying them and opening them out flat like a book. Another option, if you prefer a heftier, juicy-style chicken breast, is to make shallow cuts on the surface, in a Hasselback fashion, to encourage them to cook faster.

If you don't have pizza sauce available, use marinara and sprinkle over some dried herbs before smothering your chicken in a blanket of cheese. Anything goes for the toppings, so let your culinary imagination go wild when it comes to gussying up your breasts or boneless thighs. In fact, the beauty of prepping your chicken this way is that you can get super-creative with your flavors depending on whatever you have in the fridge, from small dollops of pesto to a shaving of parmesan or smattering of canned sweetcorn. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil for an extra hit of fruity flavor and fat to help crisp up the toppings on the outside. Finally, deck out your pizza-topped chicken with a green salad, garlic bread, or roasted veggies, and voila! You have a spruced-up, satisfying chicken dinner that tastes like a pizza pie.