Chizza, Anyone?

This recipe was born from my boys love of pizza. I am honestly not a huge pizza fan. Surprising, right? Because I absolutely love cheese. I mean, I do enjoy pizza, but I would choose other fast food over pizza. Still, who can really pass up anything topped with a ton of cheese?

I was looking for a healthier way to offer something that resembled pizza to my family. So, one day, I cooked up some chicken tenders, laid them in a baking dish and topped them with marinara, mozzarella cheese and turkey pepperoni. And, a star was born! From this day forward, this dish was called ‘Chizza’ (chicken pizza) by my family.

It really is as simple as it sounds. I just sear the chicken on both sides and add it to the baking dish. I always use tenders because I tend to cook with them most since they are easier to kids to handle. My boys are older now, but old habits die hard. You can totally use boneless skinless breasts, if you prefer. Then, I top each piece of chicken with as much marinara as I like. I put shredded mozzarella on top of that and I use a ton because that is how we like it. Last, I put the pepperoni on top of the cheese. I usually a little mozzarella cheese on top of the pepperoni. And, I always sprinkle some Italian seasoning on top.

Then, I bake this in the oven on 400 for about 15-20 minutes (when the cheese is bubbly and the chicken in cooked through). I let it cool a bit then I serve it with a side salad and rice (brown or cauliflower). This has become a favorite of ours and it makes your kitchen smell amazing.

One of the best things about this meal is how versatile it is. You can totally add veggies. I do this sometimes, but one of the boys is repulsed by veggies so I don’t add it to the entire dish. Whatever toppings you like on your pizza can be added to this dish and it will be amazing!

So, add this easy low carb meal to your meal plan this week…you won’t be disappointed!

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts or tenders (as many as you like)
• 1 jar of your favorite marinara (you may not use the whole jar)
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese
• Turkey pepperoni (as much as you like)
• Italian seasoning (season to your taste)

Season your clean chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to your taste. Sear your chicken on both sides until it is about 80% done. Transfer chicken to a baking dish and top each piece of chicken with a tablespoon or so of marinara. Add most of the mozzarella on top, then layer the pepperoni on top of the mozzarella. Last, sprinkle Italian seasoning and parmasean cheese to the top.

Bake this in the oven on 400 for 15-20 minutes (until the cheese is bubbly and the chicken is cooked through). Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!