Pizza Chicken Casserole

Pizza has always been my favorite thing, always. It's my favorite food, it always sounds good, I'm nearly always craving it. However, if I ate pizza at the rate I was craving pizza, it wouldn't be a good situation.

That's where pizza chicken comes in. This dish is somewhat of a spinoff of my fajita chicken bake. The recipe is so versatile, so I figured I would try it with pizza chicken. I tried it, and I didn't love it.

I initially tried it using the same method I used with the fajita chicken. I layered the chicken, peppers, and onions, and then I added the cheese and pepperonis at the end. However, the reason I love pizza is because of the crust. By making the casserole without any crust/bread aspect, it lacked a bit in flavor and just wasn't super pizza-y to me.

That's where the gnocchi idea came from. I've used the Trader Joe's gnocchi in so many ways, but my favorite being my skillet lasagna. I knew even adding just one bag would make for a great carb/crust base, so I added that, tweaked the recipe a bit, and it ended up being a winner.

After two more tries, it's safe to say I perfected the pizza chicken casserole, and I really hope you love it as much as I do!

What You need

• chicken breasts

• turkey pepperonis

• shredded mozzarella cheese

• cauliflower gnocchi (or any gnocchi)

• pizza sauce

• red and green bell pepper

• white onion

• salt and pepper to taste

Recipe Notes

• If you don't want the gnocchi or would like to make the dish more low carb, you absolutely can! Just leave out the gnocchi altogether and it will still turn out just the same!

• You can totally tailor this recipe to your flavor preferences!

  • Hawaiian pizza - add ham and pineapple

  • Traditional pepperoni - take out the veggies

  • Margherita pizza - add basil and tomatoes

  • BBQ chicken - add barbecue sauce, red onion, and cilantro

  • Supreme - add olives, mushrooms, etc!

Recipe

Pizza Chicken Casserole

The easiest, one pan dish perfect for the pizza lover! This recipe can be made in so many different ways depending on your favorite pizza topping! This dish takes less than an hour start to finish, and makes a pan big enough to feed you for at least 2-3 meals!

• 2.5 lbs raw chicken breasts

• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped

• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 medium white onion, chopped

• 1 bag Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi

• 14 oz pizza sauce

• 2 cups low moisture, shredded mozzarella cheese

• 5 oz turkey peperoni

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut your chicken breast into bite sized chunks, season, and place in a glass baking dish.

3. Bake for 20 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.

4. While your chicken is baking, place your gnocchi in a well greased skillet on medium/high heat.

5. Let the gnocchi cook evenly, flipping every minute or two for about 8-10 minutes or until the outside is golden and crispy.

6. When your gnocchi is done, layer it into the bottom of a glass baking dish. This will be your pizza crust!

7. Next add in your chicken chunks, and cover with all of the pizza sauce.

8. Then layer your bell peppers and onions, and cheese on top!

9. Lastly, add your pepperoni!

10. Bake at 250 for about 15-20 mins or until the pepperonis are crispy and cheese is melted.