Crispy Pepperoni Chicken
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 1½ to 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, patted dry
- Salt and pepper
- 2tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed, plus more as needed
- ½lemon or 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2ounces pepperoni, coarsely chopped (about ½ cup)
- ½cup panko or dried coarse bread crumbs
- ¼cup finely chopped parsley (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
499 calories; 26 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 52 grams protein; 635 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
If you’re using chicken breasts, pound them to an even ½-inch thickness with a heavy skillet or meat pounder.
- Step 2
Season the chicken breasts or thighs lightly with salt and pepper. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, 2 to 5 minutes.
- Step 3
Turn off the heat. Transfer the chicken to a platter or serving plates and squeeze the lemon over the chicken.
- Step 4
Wipe the skillet out, or if there are burnt bits in the skillet, rinse and dry it. Return to medium heat and cook the pepperoni, stirring often, until it starts to brown and the pan looks oily, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until browned and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. If at any point you don’t hear sizzling, that means the pan’s dry, so add more oil. (Turkey pepperoni is leaner than pork and will need additional oil.) Stir in the parsley, if using, then pile the crumbs on top of the chicken.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
PV
This recipe flummoxed me. Why were the crispy bits merely a topping? I followed the recipe, but put the chicken cutlets through an egg wash, dredged them in the topping, and fried them. It was very satisfying with some pasta and cherry tomatoes roasted in oil, balsamic vinegar, and sea salt.
Robert
Lesson learned - do not use thin pre-sliced pepperoni. Nor Turkey pepperoni
Vince M.
surprisingly tasty. don't skimp on the lemon and opt in to chopped parsley. a keeper.
mb
queen you have done it again
Julie
I made this recipe as directed. Perfect! To accompany the dish, made Ali Slagle’s Roasted Broccoli with Vinegar Mustard Glaze. This was for a dinner party and all was a big hit!
Portland
I followed the recipe exactly and will not make it again as written. The crumb mixture was dry and the pepperoni not as tasty as I would have liked. For anyone deciding to try this, I would buy a chunk of pepperoni and cut into small cubes. Alternatively, as other home cooks have suggested, I would use the panko/pepperoni mixture as a breading for the breasts.
Nicole W.
Tastier than I thought it would be! I didn’t clean out the pan after cooking the chicken, just to add extra flavor to the panko and it wasn’t too salty. I also put Parmesan on the chicken breasts before adding the crunchy topping to help the topping stick. So good!
JE
Why I will always read the comments before making the recipe-followed the suggestion to start with the egg wash, then rolled chicken tenders in the bread crumb/pepperoni mixture, then fried. We served it with roasted cauliflower and grape tomatoes, and the lemon wedge. Delicious. Even the 5 year old who says she hates pepperoni devoured it.
christine
I did the egg batter wash before dipping in crumbs. Added parmesan. Delish
Mark P.
Underwhelming. Like others have said the crumb mixture was dry and not all that tasty.
Nicole
Solid recipe, but felt like it was missing something. I left the fat in the pan from the chicken thighs I cooked, added a large pat of butter, and then cooked the pepperoni and bread crumbs. Next time I'll add minced garlic into the bread crumb mix. The parsley is a must!
Emily
Not a winner for me. Chicken took 3x as long to cook despite being pounded to 1/2" as directed, and the crumbs didn't pack a flavor punch.
jmc631
I made this recipe as it is written and it was awesome. Easy to make as well. No need to alter anything.
Greg from Mattapoisett
Lesson Learned! Check the comments first. No turkey pepperoni! This recipe as written ends up like a 1960's Better Homes and Gardens Recipe. Something the kids might like and the parents put up with. We are only two people, so the leftover topping is going in the trash, and the leftover chicken will be repurposed into a soup and or sandwiches!
Made It
I decided on breasts. Sliced thin and pounded. Marinated in tuscan seasoning and red pepper flakes. Going pat it dry to cook. Then coat in the pepperoni/bread crumb mix(i may make my own). Then add mayo to the chicken. Put dry ingredient in a dish. And coat the chicken. Add it to the air fryer on 390. I think it will come out great!
overdoit
A little bit of fresh tomato sauce on top is really good.
Maddy
Made this (almost) as instructed using chicken thighs with garlic powder & oregano in addition to S&P. This was such a hit!
JennyMc
What a fun and delicious topping for the chicken. It’s worth pounding the breasts for a larger flatter area to hold it all. Chopping bulk pepperoni is by far the hardest part here.
BB
I found it tasty but a little dry the first time I tried this. The second time I put a drizzle of pizza sauce on the plate and thought that worked out great.
Kristen
Sprinkled those magical crumbs on our accompanying salad, too. Easy way to make Tuesday feel more like Thursday.
LC
The family really loved it. I used chicken thighs but would do thinly sliced breast next time. Iceberg salad with it was *excellent* (also roasted potatoes for starch) and I want it again. Going into the rotation for sure.
Carpy
If using chicken thighs, cooking time is much longer.
Portland
I followed the recipe exactly and will not make it again as written. The crumb mixture was dry and the pepperoni not as tasty as I would have liked. For anyone deciding to try this, I would buy a chunk of pepperoni and cut into small cubes. Alternatively, as other home cooks have suggested, I would use the panko/pepperoni mixture as a breading for the breasts.
J Dingle
I made it and I agree with using a chunk of pepperoni and cutting into cubes to bring out the flavor. I also used mozzarella to help the pepperoni/panko mixture stick.
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
