This is a one skillet meal. Sort of. If you really want to keep it to one skillet you can make the marinara sauce in the skillet. Drain it off and fry the chicken. Or you can break down and use a pot along side. An extra 30 seconds of clean up. You are going to need a big skillet. Like 12 inches. If you don’t have one of those maybe this should be a 2 skillet chicken dish. Or use a smaller skillet to cook the chicken in batches then finish it in a baking dish. Up to you. Pizza chicken works pretty much no matter what it’s cooked in. It’s not that picky. It’s secure in it’s deliciousness. Not worried about it. Angst-free.
Pizza chicken is all about layering flavour
The magic in this pizza chicken recipe is the layering of the flavours. Browning the chicken gets you a fond in the pan. Deglazing with marinara sauce gets that fond into the sauce. That’s depth. Roast chicken drippings in the sauce. Another layer. Fresh mozzarella melted into the dish. The jewel in the crown. A quick flash under the broiler. The final layer. Layer upon layer of just damn tasty. Once you understand what the layers can bring to dinner you will want to make pizza chicken again and again.
Calabrian chilies add a bit of heat. If you can’t get Calabrian chilies don’t worry. Use crushed chilies or maybe a bit of harissa. It’s still going to be great pizza chicken. Anchovy disappears into the sauce. Undetectable as an ingredient but an umami bomb. Don’t be scared of the anchovy. You will not taste it. Like a restaurant Caesar salad dressing. Have you ever sent one back because it tastes like fish? You can be sure all the better restaurants put it in their dressing. But if it really freaks you out leaving it out won’t kill the pizza chicken. This is my version of Melissa Clark’s pizza chicken. If you don’t know Melissa Clark look her up. New York Times. I’m a fan. All sorts of really good recipes. No matter what you call it – skillet chicken with mozzarella and tomato or chicken margherita or pizza chicken – it is a family favourite waiting for you to discover it. I know. I get asked for it all the time…
