Pizza Chicken Bake (Gluten-Free & Low Carb)
If your family gets excited anytime pizza is on the menu, this Pizza Chicken Bake is going to be a hit. It has all the flavors you love- savory pizza sauce, melty mozzarella, pepperoni, and your favorite toppings-but instead of a crust, it’s built on juicy chicken breasts. It’s hearty, packed with protein, naturally gluten-free, and comes together with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. Whether you serve it on its own or pair it with pasta, a salad, or roasted vegetables, it’s an easy weeknight dinner everyone will ask for again.
The Good Stuff Ingredient Swaps
At The Good Stuff, we focus on Simple Swaps to make family favorites a little cleaner. The list below isn’t the full recipe-it just highlights the specific ingredients we swapped out for real, whole-food alternatives to ditch the seed oils, dyes and fillers.
- The Parmesan Cheese Swap: The regular “powdered parm” is more than just cheese! We like to keep it simple with parmesan cheese as the only ingredient. You can throw parmesan in a food processor and pulse until until powdered or check out some of these store bought swaps also!
- The Cooking Oil Swap: Standard vegetable oils (like canola or soybean oil) are highly processed and prone to inflammation. I swapped the vegetable oil out for high-heat avocado oil to sear the chicken. Check out my guide on why I made the switch!
- The Marinara Sauce Swap: Standard jarred pasta sauces like to sneak in added sugars and hydrogenated oils. I recommend choosing a high-quality, zero-added-sugar marinara (like Rao’s Homemade).
- The Pepperoni Swap: We try to avoid nitrates around here, so we like to swap out all of our cold cuts for nitrate free versions.
How to Make this Pizza Chicken Bake (Step-by-Step)
- Spread the pasta sauce evenly across the bottom of your 9×13 baking dish, then stir in the grated Parmesan. This creates a rich, seasoned foundation that infuses the chicken with flavor as it bakes.
2. Season your cubed chicken breasts with a bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat your avocado oil in a skillet over high heat and sear the cubes for just 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Do not cook them all the way through-leaving the centers raw ensures they stay nice and juicy during the oven bake.
3. . Nestle the seared chicken cubes into the marinara base. Then cover the entire dish with shredded mozzarella. Add your favorite pizza toppings! We do anywhere from just pepperoni, to the whole works with pepperoni, mushroom, banana peppers, olives & peppers. This go around we did pepperoni and banana peppers on the bottom third for my and the hubby ;).
4. Sprinkle with italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes (optional).Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) until the cheese is bubbly and the chicken hits an internal temperature of 165°F.
Good Stuff Tip: If you’re looking for that golden crust- don’t skip the optional broiler step at the very end! Pop the dish under the broiler for just 60 to 90 seconds. Keep a close eye on it, it can go from beautiful caramelized cheese to burn in a heart beat!
What to Serve with this Pizza Chicken Bake
There are so many good things to service this with!
- Sheet Pan Breadsticks: These are a huge hit in this house and go well with just about everything!
- A Crisp Green Salad: We love to pair Italian style meals with a caesar salad, match made it heaven!
- Asparagus Fries: Breading and baking asparagus creates a perfect crunchy side.
More Clean-Eating Dinners to Try
If you love high-protein, clean-ingredient comfort foods like this one, be sure to check out some of my other tested favorites from the kitchen:
- High-Protein Chicken Lasagna Bake (No Noodles!) – Another excellent low-carb twist on a classic comfort meal.
- Sheet Pan Sweet Chili Chicken – Perfect for when you want minimal cleanup and maximum flavor.
- Easy Cheesy Make-Ahead Tuna Melts – Perfect for Lent – So quick and easy to make and the kids love them!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I keep this dish from getting watery?
The secret to avoiding a watery bake comes down to flash-searing the chicken first to lock in its natural juices.
Can I prep this pizza chicken bake ahead of time?
If you want to meal prep this dish you can bake the entire dish completely through, let it cool to room temperature, cover it tightly, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the entire dish back up in the oven at 350∘F (175∘C) until heated through. Note: Never partially cook raw chicken and let it sit in the fridge overnight, as this can encourage bacterial growth!
Pizza Chicken Bake
This easy Pizza Chicken Bake is made with juicy chicken breasts, savory pizza sauce, Parmesan cheese, melty mozzarella, pepperoni, and your favorite pizza toppings. It's a hearty, naturally gluten-free, high-protein dinner that's perfect on its own or served over pasta for a family-friendly meal.
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs, cubed
- 1 tbsp Avocado Oil
- 24 oz jar of High-Quality Marinara or Pasta Sauce (around 3 cups)
- 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder to season chicken
- 1/2 tsp of Italian Seasoning
- Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- 1.5 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (for topping)
- Favorite Pizza Toppings!
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare Base: In the bottom of a 9x13 ceramic baking dish, stir together the marinara sauce and grated parmesan until well combined. Set aside.
- Sear Chicken: Season the cubed chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Sear the chicken cubes until golden brown on all sides (about 2–3 minutes per side). Do not cook fully. Remove from heat.
- Assemble: Scatter the browned chicken cubes evenly into the marinara sauce base in the baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the entire dish. Top with your favorite pizza toppings. Sprinkle with with italian seasoning and red pepper flakes.
- Bake: Bake uncovered at 375°F for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (reaches 165°F) and the cheese is bubbly.
- Finish (Optional): Turn the broiler to high for 1–2 minutes to get the cheese golden and crispy at the edges. Watch carefully to prevent burning!
- Serve: Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
You can serve this on a bed of pasta, or on it's own for a lower carb or gluten free option!
For more recipes like this check out thegoodstuffbakeshop.com
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 411Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 1335mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 32g
Nutrition information is calculated automatically as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Accuracy is not guaranteed as values can vary based on specific brands and preparation methods used.
