Chicken Pizzaiola is a delicious one-pan Italian-inspired chicken dish featuring tender cutlets smothered in a savory tomato sauce with onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and olives, then topped with melty mozzarella and finished under the broiler. This meal is perfect for a cozy dinner served with pasta, bread, or a side salad.
Looking for a new way to cook chicken?
Look no further than this recipe for chicken pizzaiola! In Italian, “pizzaiola” means ” in the style of pizza”. So of course we’re simmering chicken cutlets in a savory tomato sauce and including fresh mozzarella, basil, and veggies to create this one-pan stovetop meal that is a comfort food showstopper.
Serve this with a side of pasta or garlic bread to make the most of the sauce, and get ready for your family to ask you to make this recipe again and again!
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken: I’m using fresh boneless chicken breasts, sliced into cutlets so that they cook quickly and evenly. If you prefer, boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead.
- Veggies: Red bell pepper, mushrooms, and onions add fresh, earthy, savory flavors to the sauce.
- Garlic: A must for any Italian-American recipe! Use fresh garlic if at all possible. The flavor from jarred garlic is never quite as good.
- Tomato Puree: We’re crafting a simple and delicious tomato sauce from scratch, and plain tomato puree or unseasoned tomato sauce serves as the base ingredient. Italian Passata is also perfect if you have it.
- Mozzarella Cheese: A ball of fresh mozzarella is sliced and melted over the chicken. Avoid using shredded low-moisture cheese
Chicken Pizzaiola Recipe Tips
- Use a skillet that is oven and broiler-safe if you can. This way, you’ll truly only need to use one pan for the whole recipe! Otherwise, transfer your chicken and sauce to a baking dish before adding the cheese and placing it under the broiler.
- Tons of flavor comes from what’s left in the pan after the chicken cutlets have been browned. Add a splash of water or dry white wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up all of that goodness.
- Like spice? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce to add a kick!
More Italian Chicken Recipes
Chicken Spiedini with Garlic Butter Amogio Sauce
Chicken Pasta Primavera
Chicken Marsala
Creamy Pesto Chicken
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Chicken Pizzaiola
Equipment
- Large skillet (oven-safe or broiler-safe)
- Cutting board and knife
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Broiler or oven
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds (680 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced into cutlets
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil divided
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 8 ounces (225 g) button mushrooms sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced, divided
- 14 ounces (400 g) tomato puree or passata
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water or white wine
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup (70 g) pitted black olives
- 1 ball (125 g) fresh mozzarella sliced
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with 1 teaspoon of salt and ground black pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. It does not need to be fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the water to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the tomato puree, sugar, oregano, and a pinch of black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Return the chicken cutlets to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some sauce over each piece.
- Top each cutlet with mozzarella slices and scatter the olives over the sauce.
- Place the skillet under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the chicken is cooked through (165°F or 74°C). Alternatively, if you don’t care for the cheese to brown, cover the skillet with a lid and cook on the stovetop over medium heat for 5 minutes until the cheese melts and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes:
- For more flavor, use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Chili flakes added to the sauce will add a spicy kick.
- If your skillet is not broiler-safe, transfer the chicken and the sauce to a baking dish before broiling.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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