Pepperoni Chicken Pasta Recipe is a recipe that your kids are going to love. It’s easy to fix and a hit with everyone.
Pepperoni Chicken Pasta Recipe
Pepperoni Chicken Pasta Recipe is a family favorite. My kids love this recipe because it has pepperonis. I love it because it is cheap and easy.
It’s such an easy meal for busy week nights. I can throw this recipe together in just a few minutes. Everyone always loves it and it’s nice to have a meal that is simple and delicious.
My family loves pizza. My boys can eat pizza everyday, so there is no complaining when I make this meal. I am glad this recipe combines the flavor of pizza with chicken and pasta.
Copycat Zio’s Pepperoni Chicken Recipe!
We love recreating recipes that are at our favorite restaurants. This Pepperoni Chicken is a family favorite at Zio’s Restaurant.
My family was glad that I recreated it at home. They actually thinks it taste better and I knew exactly what I was I adding to the recipe.
This copycat recipes combines the chicken with the pepperoni and tomato sauce to make for an amazing meal. It is packed with so much flavor. Plus, the cheese just adds to it and makes it so delicious!
Chicken Pepperoni Ingredients:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Pepperonis
- Diced Tomatoes
- Onion
- Water
- Tomato sauce
- Salt and Pepper
- Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Salt or Garlic Powder
- Pasta
- Mozarella Cheese
How to make Chicken and Pepperoni Pasta:
- Prepare Chicken – Prepare chicken by thinly slicing and then cutting into chunks.
- Add Olive Oil – Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. (You can also use cooking spray.)
- Cook Chicken – Cook the chicken and brown the meat heavily over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in Onions and Pepperoni – Add onions and pepperoni slices to the chicken cutlets. Then cook and stir until soft.
- Mix in additional ingredients – Pour in tomatoes and water. Then add garlic salt and the Italian Seasoning.
- Simmer Chicken Ingredients – Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce skillet over medium heat and let simmer about 10 minutes.
- Prepare Pasta – Begin boiling water for pasta. Add pasta to boiling water and cook pasta al dente according to directions.
- Add cooked pasta to Chicken Ingredients – Combine pasta with the chicken and sauce.
- Mix in Cheese – Stir in the mozzarella cheese.
- Stir and Enjoy – Season with salt and pepper if you desire.
Do I have to use a Cast Iron Skillet?
I love using my cast iron skillet. I used to be intimidated by using it but the more I have starting cooking it, the more I love it. The food taste so much better and the more you cook in it the more season it gets.
You can definitely use any skillets that you have. But I do recommend getting one. I even have tips on how to clean it.
Variations for Pepperoni Chicken:
- Add in Vegetables – We love to add in green bell pepper, mushrooms and black olives. Basically anything you like to have on your pizza, it is great added into this recipe.
- Use Marinara Sauce – Sometimes, I also add marinara sauce to have a little more sauce with the chicken.
- Change the Meat – If you prefer, you can use Italian Sausage or ground beef instead.
- Use different Pasta – I like to use rotini or penne pasta. You can also use spaghetti noodles. Just break it up into smaller pieces before you cook them. Use what you have.
- Different Cheeses – We typically mozzarella cheese but Italian blend is great also.
- Make is Spicy – Add in some red pepper flakes to make this pasta dish have a little kick.
Tips for Pepperoni Chicken Pasta:
- Cutting Chicken – When you are preparing your chicken, make sure to cut the chicken all the same size. This ensures that the chicken gets cooked all at the same time.
- Cook Chicken – Before adding in any of the other ingredients make sure to get the chicken browned before you stir it. It adds extra flavor to the sauce without adding fat.
- Cut Ingredients – Make sure that you cut onions and pepperoni before adding them.
What to Serve with Chicken Pepperoni Pasta?
Chicken Pepperoni Pasta is a meal that can be served by itself. But we also love to serve with these sides:
- Garden Salad
- Garlic French Bread
- Green Beans
- Steamed Broccoli
How to Store Chicken Pepperoni Pasta:
Store any leftovers in an air tight container. It will stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
We actually think it taste better the next day, since all the sauce has marinated in the noodles.
Print this Chicken Pepperoni Pasta recipe below:
Chicken and Pepperoni Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (diced into 1 inch pieces)
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 3 oz pepperonis (quartered)
- 1/2 Onion (chopped)
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (15 oz can)
- 1 can Tomato Sauce (15 oz can)
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- Thinly slice or chuck the chicken.
- Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. (You can also use cooking spray.)
- Cook the chicken and brown the meat heavily over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian Seasoning and water.
- Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce skillet over medium heat and let simmer about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions to al dente.
- Combine pasta with the chicken and sauce.
- Top with the shredded cheese. Cover and let the cheese melt.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Find more Chicken Pasta Recipes:
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
- 20 Quick and Easy Chicken and Pasta Recipes
- Chicken Spinach Artichoke Pasta Instant Pot Recipe
- Quick and Healthy Chicken Scampi
I enjoyed this , really good
I know I will be making this, but will make it a one-pot meal by adding a little more water and cooking the pasta in the sauce.
I plan to try this tonight, but don’t see when you add the pepperoni. I plan to just add them to the sauce with the chicken – maybe saute them for 1 min before, but not longer. Would that be how you would have done it?
Yes that would work great.