Name: Skinny Pepperoni Pizza Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ⅔ cup onions, (diced); 1⅓ cup pizza sauce or pasta sauce, (I like Prego, see shopping tips); 8 slices Hormel’s 70% less fat turkey pepperoni, (cut each into pieces, see shopping tips); 4 chicken breasts, (boneless, skinless (4 ounces each) pounded thinner, see shopping tips); 1 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, (shredded)

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This chicken recipe has a wonderful pepperoni pizza flavor. And with just 5 ingredients, it doesn’t get easier to make! Perfect for a quick dinner. Each serving has 249 calories and 7 grams of fat.

Why You'll Love My Skinny Pepperoni Pizza Chicken

Oh, get ready for a weeknight hero, because my Skinny Pepperoni Pizza Chicken is about to become your new obsession! If you're constantly torn between wanting a comforting, cheesy pizza and needing a lean, healthy meal, this recipe is your delicious solution. You'll absolutely love it because it takes all those irresistible flavors of your favorite pepperoni pizza – the zesty sauce, the savory pepperoni, and that glorious melted mozzarella – and combines them with tender, juicy chicken breasts. We're cutting out the heavy, carb-laden crust and letting lean protein take center stage, creating a dish that's incredibly satisfying without the guilt. It's surprisingly quick to whip up, making it perfect for busy evenings, yet it feels like a total treat. This dish is truly a "skinny" twist on a classic, delivering maximum flavor with minimal fuss, and proving that healthy eating can be incredibly delicious and fun!

Ingredients For Skinny Pepperoni Pizza Chicken

Get ready to transform simple ingredients into a "skinny" pizza sensation! Each component in my Skinny Pepperoni Pizza Chicken plays a vital role in delivering big flavor with fewer calories. Let's break down these stars:

Onions

Our flavor base starts with ⅔ cup of diced onions. When cooked, these humble veggies transform, releasing a sweet and aromatic essence that deepens the overall savory profile of our dish. They add a wonderful layer of complexity without adding significant calories, perfectly complementing the chicken and sauce.

Pizza or Pasta Sauce

This is where the pizza magic truly happens! We're using 1⅓ cups of your favorite pizza or pasta sauce (I'm partial to Prego for its consistent flavor!). Shopping tip: Look for brands with no added sugar or high-fructose corn syrup to keep this dish as "skinny" and wholesome as possible. A good quality, rich sauce provides the essential tangy and sweet foundation that makes this chicken taste just like your favorite pizza.

Hormel’s 70% Less Fat Turkey Pepperoni

This ingredient is key to getting that beloved pepperoni flavor without the guilt! We're using 8 slices of Hormel's 70% less fat turkey pepperoni, and here's a shopping tip: to really distribute that savory, slightly spicy kick throughout the dish, make sure to cut each slice into smaller pieces. This ensures you get a taste of pepperoni in every single bite, maximizing flavor while significantly reducing the fat content compared to traditional pepperoni.

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

The lean protein powerhouse of our dish! We're using 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each weighing about 4 ounces. Shopping tip & prep tip: For even cooking and a tender result, it's crucial to pound each chicken breast thinner. This helps them cook quickly and absorb all those delicious pizza flavors. Chicken breasts are naturally low in fat and high in protein, making them the perfect healthy canvas for our pizza makeover.

Reduced-Fat Mozzarella Cheese

You can't have pizza without cheese, right? We're topping our chicken with 1 cup of shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese. This allows us to achieve that glorious, gooey, melty cheese pull we all crave, but with significantly less saturated fat than full-fat mozzarella. It melts beautifully, creating a golden, bubbly crust over your pizza chicken, delivering that authentic pizza experience in every mouth-watering bite.

How to Make Skinny Pepperoni Pizza Chicken

Alright, my fellow "skinny" food lovers, let's get down to the delicious details of making this incredibly easy and unbelievably tasty Skinny Pepperoni Pizza Chicken! This recipe is a weeknight lifesaver, and by following these simple steps, you'll have a healthy, flavor-packed meal on the table in no time.

Step-by-Step Guide to Your "Skinny" Pizza Chicken Masterpiece!

1. Preheat Your Oven and Prep Your Pan

First things first, let's get our kitchen ready for action! Go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This moderate temperature is perfect for ensuring your chicken cooks through evenly and stays tender, while allowing the cheese to melt beautifully. While the oven is warming up, grab a baking pan (a 9x13 inch pan works great for four chicken breasts). To make sure nothing sticks and cleanup is a breeze, lightly coat the entire baking pan with cooking spray. This little step is key for easy serving and less scrubbing later!

2. Soften Your Onions and Infuse Your Sauce

Next, let's unlock some serious flavor! Take your diced onions and place them in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Pop them into the microwave for about 1 minute. This quick zap will soften them up, mellowing their raw edge and allowing their sweet, aromatic notes to shine through. Once softened, carefully mix these cooked onions directly into your pizza or pasta sauce. This step is a flavor hack – it infuses the sauce with that delicious onion essence right from the start, ensuring every bite of your chicken is seasoned perfectly.

3. Assemble Your Pizza Chicken Creations

Now for the fun part – assembling your "pizzas"! Carefully place your pounded-thin chicken breasts into the prepared baking pan, making sure they're in a single layer. Next, it's sauce time: generously top each chicken breast with about ⅓ cup of your onion-infused pizza sauce. Spread it evenly over the entire surface of the chicken. Then, grab those flavorful chopped Hormel's 70% less fat turkey pepperoni pieces. Place about 2 slices' worth (or roughly a quarter of your total chopped pepperoni) on top of each sauced chicken breast. This ensures you get that iconic pepperoni flavor in every bite. Finally, for that irresistible pizza finish, sprinkle each chicken breast with ¼ cup of the shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese. Don't be shy; aim for even coverage to get that perfect cheesy crust!

4. Bake to Golden Perfection!

With your beautiful pizza chicken assembled, it's time to bake! Carefully place your pan in the preheated oven. Now, let the magic happen! Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. The exact cooking time can vary slightly depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts and your oven, so keep an eye on them. You'll know they're perfectly done when the chicken is cooked through (no longer pink in the center) and the cheese on top is bubbly, melted, and beautifully golden brown.

Once cooked, carefully remove the pan from the oven. Let your Skinny Pepperoni Pizza Chicken rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute, ensuring maximum tenderness. Serve it up with a side salad or some steamed veggies for a complete and utterly satisfying "skinny" meal that tastes anything but! Enjoy your new favorite pizza night tradition!

Helpful Tips About this Recipe

Makes 4 servings. Each serving 1 breast.

Shopping Tips
There are several brands of jarred pizza or pasta sauce. I love Prego’s.

I used Hormel’s 70% reduced-fat turkey pepperoni. You’ll find it in the luncheon meat section of most supermarkets. It’s so low in calories and fat compared to regular pepperoni. One serving (17 slices) has 70 calories and 4 grams of fat. And it’s gluten-free!

Many supermarkets sell packages of thin chicken breasts. I bought mine at Trader Joe’s. Or pound your own by placing each chicken breast between 2 slices of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet or back of a wooden spoon until each breast is thinner.

WW Freestyle SmartPoints 4-Blue
WW SmartPoints 6-Green
WW POINTS PLUS 6

SKINNY FACTS: for 1 serving
249 calories, 7g fat, 4g sat. fat, 70mg chol, 37g prot, 10g carbs, 2g fiber, 10mg sod, 4g sugar

FACTS: for Freestyle SmartPoints
119 calories, 3g sat. fat, 4g sugar, 11g protein