Low-Carb Pepperoni Pizza Chicken Bake

Ingredients

• 1 jar low-sugar pizza sauce, reduced to 1 cup
• 4 very large boneless-skinless chicken breasts
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 tsp. Greek oregano
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 6 oz. piece of Mozzarella, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
• 2 oz. sliced pepperoni

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400F/200C. Pour the pizza sauce into a small saucepan and let it gently simmer over low heat until it cooks down to 1 cup, about 20 minutes. This part really matters, because unreduced sauce will make the finished dish watery.
2. As the sauce cooks, trim the chicken breasts, then slice each one crosswise so you have 2 same-size pieces. Place the chicken pieces 1 at a time in a sturdy plastic bag, then pound them with a meat mallet or another heavy tool until they are as thin as possible without falling apart. A few small tears are no big deal.
3. Stir the Greek oregano and garlic powder together in a small bowl, then season the 2 sides of every chicken piece with that mixture. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in your largest non-stick frying pan. If everything will not fit comfortably, cook the chicken in 2 batches. Add the chicken and sear it for 1-2 minutes per side, just until browned on the outside but not cooked through.
4. Pick the smallest glass casserole dish that can hold all the browned chicken in a single layer, then arrange the pieces in the dish. Slice the Mozzarella, trimming the slices as needed so you have enough pieces to mostly cover each piece of chicken.
5. At this point the sauce should be reduced, so spoon it over the chicken, using all of it. Cover each piece with Mozzarella and pepperoni slices, getting as much of the chicken covered as you can.
6. Bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown and the pepperoni is lightly crisp. Some pepperoni may slide off the chicken, and that is fine. Serve hot. This reheats well in the microwave for a few minutes.