Sweet BBQ chicken calzone

After watching the latest episode of Parks and Recreation where they had a calzone party in the show, I decided to try making one. (not the best reason...haha) I haven't had calzones in a long time...so it was nice to finally have it again. I decided on sweet BBQ chicken coz you can't really go wrong with it. I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious!

This calzone can be made with store bought pizza dough or homemade pizza dough shown on my blog here: homemade pizza dough

The following recipe was made using homemade pizza dough.

Sweet BBQ Chicken Calzone

Makes one 10" calzone enough for 3-4 people

Ingredients:

1/2 of the homemade pizza dough shown here: Recipe

2 chicken breasts

1/2 sweet onion or 1 small onion

5 pieces of bacon

3/4 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce

2 tbsp honey

shredded mozzarella cheese

shredded parmesan cheese

grated parmesan cheese

dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

cooking oil spray

Useful tool to have:

pastry mat

Instructions:

*If you are making the pizza dough at the same time, prepare this chicken filling during the second dough rise which takes about 45 minutes. 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Place bacon strips on the pan and bake for 12 minutes. Flip the bacon over and bake for another 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, cut chicken breasts into small strips. Place in a bowl and add a bit of salt and pepper. Mix and set aside.

2. Cut onions into small pieces. Set aside.

3. Turn on the stove to medium heat. Add some bacon fat oil to the pan and cook chicken. When the chicken is about 70% done, add onions and cook till both nicely cooked. Turn off the heat.

4. Add BBQ sauce and honey. Mix. Adjust the flavors to your liking. 

5. Cut the bacon strips into small pieces. Sprinkle them on top of the chicken and sauce. Mix. Set the whole thing aside.

6. Preheat oven to 425°F.

7. When the dough is ready, stretch out the dough gently without ripping it. Stretch out the dough as thin as you can. If you have a pastry mat, it will be helpful in making it evenly round. I made mine 10" in diameter. 

8. Spread a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese on half of the dough. Then spread a layer of shredded parmesan cheese on top, and another layer of grated parmesan.

9. Add the chicken/ sauce mixture evenly on top of the cheese. 

10. Spread a layer of shredded parmesan cheese on top, then a layer of grated parmesan, and another layer of shredded mozzarella cheese.

11. Fold the dough over and cover the fillings completely. Seal the calzone edges by folding the dough edges over in bits and pinching it.

12. Lightly grease baking pan with cooking oil spray. Place the calzone on top. Make 3 cuts in the middle of the calzone.

13. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

14. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the calzone with shredded parmesan, grated parmesan, and dried parsley. Bake for another 8- 10 minutes or until golden brown.

15. Let the calzone cool for a few minutes. Cut it up and serve!