Description
Chicken Parmesan Calzone Delight brings Italian comfort straight to your kitchen with a crispy, golden crust embracing melted cheese and savory chicken. Warm, herb-infused filling promises a delightful escape that satisfies deep cravings and transports you to a charming trattoria.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 6–7 fully cooked crispy chicken tenders (sliced)
Cheese:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup (40 grams) grated parmesan cheese
Dough and Additional Ingredients:
- 16–20 ounces (454–567 grams) pizza dough
- 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) pizza sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) melted butter
- Flour (for rolling dough)
Instructions
- Prepare the kitchen workspace by heating the oven to 400°F, ensuring even temperature distribution.
- Transform frozen chicken tenders into tender strips by following package cooking instructions, then set aside for later assembly.
- Generously dust a clean surface with flour and carefully stretch pizza dough into a circular shape approximately 12 inches wide and uniformly thin.
- Distribute pizza sauce across one half of the dough, maintaining a narrow border around the edges to prevent leakage during baking.
- Layer chicken strips, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese strategically over the sauced section, creating an even coverage.
- Gently fold the untopped dough half over the filled section, pressing and crimping edges to create a secure seal.
- Transfer the assembled calzone onto a lightly greased baking sheet, brushing the exterior with melted butter for golden crispness.
- Create small ventilation slits across the top to allow steam escape and prevent potential rupturing.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the dough turns golden and becomes slightly crisp around the edges.
- Remove from oven, quickly spread additional pizza sauce and sprinkle remaining mozzarella across the surface.
- Return to oven for final 10-minute baking, allowing cheese to melt and develop a rich, bubbling texture.
- Allow calzone to rest for 5-7 minutes after removing from oven, enabling internal temperature to stabilize.
- Slice into elegant strips and serve immediately while warm and aromatic.
Notes
- Choose chicken breast or rotisserie chicken for a leaner protein option that adds more flavor and tenderness to the calzone.
- Brush olive oil instead of butter for a healthier alternative that still provides a golden, crispy exterior.
- Try different cheese combinations like provolone or ricotta to create unique flavor profiles and textures.
- Prevent soggy bottoms by preheating a pizza stone or using a perforated baking sheet to ensure crisp, evenly cooked dough.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 530 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg