Dairy-Free Pizza Chicken Bake (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free, Keto)

January 6, 2020 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 44 Comments

Just 3-ingredients for this easy Dairy-Free Pizza Chicken Bake! A healthy dinner idea that’s gluten-free, allergy-free, low-carb keto, and with paleo options! Kids will love this chicken casserole recipe that can be customized with homemade marinara sauce and any pizza toppings you want!

Pizza, without the crust. Pizza, with a major boost in the protein department! With no crust or breading, this pizza chicken is perfect for us gluten-free celiacs and with vegan cheese, it’s dairy-free too! It’s a healthier low-carb weeknight dinner the entire family will love (what kid doesn’t like pizza?) and it’s so easy with just 3 essential ingredients! Just a matter of layering everything into a casserole dish and baking in the oven!

Only 3 Ingredients

You technically only need three things to make this dairy-free pizza chicken bake! That is:

Chicken (I use chicken breasts, but thighs could work as well. You’ll need to tweak the cooking time.)
Tomato Sauce (Your favorite jarred sauce)
Dairy-Free Cheese (Trader Joe’s Vegan Mozzarella Shreds are my favorite and allergy-free!)

Now, that’s kinda boring, but in a pinch, you can just throw (layer) those things together, like pizza bagels, and bake. BUT if you have a few extra minutes, whipping up a homemade pizza sauce and tossing on some extra pizza-esque toppings, you’ll have an even more amazing dinner casserole on your hands!

Pizza Topping Ideas

You’ll have noticed by now that I threw some black olives on my chicken bake! That may or may not be a divisive choice (like pineapple), so if you’re anti-olive, have no fear…you can leave them out! This is your chance to customize your dinner and make it fit your family’s preferences. Here are some ideas:

Olives
Sliced Onions
Pepperoni
Bacon
Spinach
Banana Peppers
Bell Pepper Slices
Pineapple
Jalapeno
Mushrooms
Fresh or Dried Herbs (Parsley, Oregano, Basil)
Etc.

Making it work for any diet

This baked pizza chicken is everything except vegan/vegetarian (for obvious reasons!) But it’s perfect for food allergies and picky eaters and that’s what matters here!

Gluten-Free
Grain-Free
Low-Carb and Keto
Paleo (if you use a paleo-approved nut or seed cheese option)
Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
Oil-Free
Sugar-Free
Kid-Friendly
Quick and Easy

Tips for meal-prepping, storing, and reheating

Real Life: You always get that craving for pizza about midweek when you’re slogging through, wishing for Friday. You don’t want an actual carb-heavy, greasy pizza (okay…you actually can’t have one #celiac), so what do you do? PIZZA CHICKEN! Easy solution, that’s actually “healthy”, fun, and delicious!

Freezing: Assemble the chicken, sauce, and cheese, but do not bake it. Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil and freeze for 2-3 months.
Reheating: To reheat allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight and then bake according to recipe directions.
Reheating baked leftovers: To reheat extra servings after the chicken casserole, you can warm the entire dish in the oven 350°F until hot throughout or just slice each serving of chicken up individually and reheat in the microwave. At max, this chicken bake will be good for 2-3 days in the fridge.

What to serve with your chicken

Last but not least, let’s make this chicken dinner a full-on meal with some delicious side dishes!

Steamed or Roasted Veggies
Big Crunchy Salads
Gluten-Free Garlic Bread
Potatoes (in any form!)
Rice, Pasta, other Gluten-Free Grain