All the flavours of the pizza you love but in a tasty low carb version. Stuffed Chicken and Chorizo topped with a  simple onion, garlic and chilli tomato sauce, and piled high with plenty of cheese we doubt you’ll miss the crust.

pizza chicken traybake recipe

This bright chicken traybake recipe uses red, yellow and green peppers, olives, paprika and delicious smoky chorizo or you can use any other smoked meat.

If you have an air fryer it should only take 30 -minutes to prep this dish and if you serve it with a crisp green salad it’s a perfect quick and easy dinner which the whole family will love.

How to Make Pizza Chicken Tray Bake

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Butterfly each chicken breast but do not cut all the way through. Place the chicken breasts in a large bowl.

Add a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika and Italian seasoning to the bowl and toss to combine/coat the chicken. Make sure to season the inner part of the breasts as well.

Place a slice of mozzarella inside a chicken breast and then top with a slice of smoked meat or about 5 slices of chorizo

At this stage, if you are using an air fryer, then grill the chicken for about 8 minutes at 200°C for 8 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the air fryer and place it on an oven tray which has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Pour the tomato sauce, chopped peppers and olives over the chicken and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven top chicken with the grated cheese.

Return to oven for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown

If you’re baking the chicken in the oven then just place the uncooked chicken directly onto an oven tray, pour the tomato sauce, chopped peppers and olives over the chicken and bake for approx 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and top the chicken with the grated cheese.

Return to oven for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

How to Make the Garlic and Chilli Tomato Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.

Add the onion, garlic and chilli and saute for a few minutes until soft and translucent.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, and salt. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes until slightly reduced.

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full ingredients and instructions.

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PIZZA CHICKEN TRAYBAKE
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: South African
 
Ingredients
  • 6 Boneless Chicken Breasts
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 Tsps Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1 Cup Of Sliced Chorizo Or Any Smoked Meat
  • 6 Slices of Mozarella
  • 1 Onion Chopped
  • 3-4 Garlic Cloves Grated
  • 1 Green Chilli Sliced
  • 1 X 400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
  • 1 x 50Gr Pkt Tomato Paste
  • ½ Cup Chicken Stock
  • Salt to Taste
  • 1 Cup Tricoloured Peppers Diced
  • A Handful Of Black Olives
  • 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese Grated
  • Fresh Basil Torn
Instructions
Method Using the Airfryer
  1. Butterfly each chicken breast but do not cut all the way through. Place the chicken breasts in a large bowl.
  2. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika and Italian seasoning to the bowl and toss to combine/coat the chicken. Make sure to season the inner part of the breasts as well.
  3. Place sliced mozzarella inside a chicken breast and then top with 5 slices of chorizo.
  4. Grill the chicken for about 8 minutes on 200°C for 8 minutes in the air fryer.
  5. Pour the tomato sauce, chopped peppers and olives over the chicken and bake for 20 minutes Remove from the oven top chicken with the grated cheese.
  6. Return to oven for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
  7. Remove from the oven and garnish with freshly torn basil before serving.
Method Using the Oven
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. Butterfly each chicken breast but do not cut all the way through. Place the chicken breasts in a large bowl.
  3. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika and Italian seasoning to the bowl and toss to combine/coat the chicken. Make sure to season the inner part of the breasts as well.
  4. Place sliced mozzarella inside a chicken breast and then top with 5 slices of chorizo.
  5. Pour the tomato sauce, chopped peppers and olives over the chicken.
  6. Bake the chicken for approx 30 minutes.
  7. After 30 minutes, remove foil and top the chicken with the grated cheese.
  8. Return to oven for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
  9. Remove from the oven and garnish with freshly torn basil before serving.
Method For the Tomato Sauce
  1. Heat a bit of olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the onion, garlic and chilli and saute for a few minutes until soft and translucent.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, and salt. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes until slightly reduced. Leave aside until the chicken is ready.

 

Keep it simple with these tips to make Pizza Chicken Tray Bake

Use skinless chicken breasts free-range or organic if possible for the best flavour.

When butterflying the chicken breasts, take care not to cut them the whole way through.

Choose your favourite readymade marinara sauce for this recipe or the homemade sauce recipe above which can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate and reheat before using.