Chicken Alfredo Calzones

This is another recipe that came to me while laying in bed on a weekend morning.  I thought chicken Alfredo sounds good.  Eh, boring.  I should make pizza dough.  Chicken Alfredo Pizza?  Nah, I want something different.  Chicken ALFREDO CALZONES?! Ah yep.  Add bacon?  Totally.  

Done and done.  

 Start by frying up some bacon.

Once it is cooked, remove the bacon and place on a paper towel lined plate.

Next, work on the chicken.  Generously season with pepper

And salt.  This is the key--good tasting chicken.

Add the chicken to a pan that has been preheated on medium high heat.  I used the same pan I fried the bacon in, just wipe it out.

Season again with s&p.  Cook on each side for about 4 minutes.

In a small sauce pan, add a bit of butter and turn on the burner to medium heat.

Chop up some garlic

Add it to the pan

Let the garlic cook a bit until it starts to turn just golden brown.  Be careful, this can burn quickly.

Pour in a jar of Alfredo sauce.

Sprinkle in a bit of parmesan cheese.

See, perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken. 

Chop up some green onion and you are set.

Get everything in order for assembly.  Oh, you will need that pizza dough on the right hand side too.  If you read my blog regularly, you know that I only use Lauren's Latest Failproof Pizza Dough. Every.Single.Time.  It really is the best.

Here is my trick for calzones.  I like the crunchiness of the cornmeal but I don't like it on the top of the calzone.  So I put half cornmeal and half flour on the baking sheet.

Roll out the dough. so the bottom (left hand side) has cornmeal and the top (right hand side) has flour.

Add some mozzarella cheese.

The chicken.

Bacon

Green onion

Doctored up Alfredo sauce

And additional parmesan

Fold the edges and press together to make a seal.

Cut three slits in the top of the calzone.

Brush with a bit of melted butter or spray with cooking spray

Sprinkle with a bit of garlic salt and into the oven they go for about 25 minutes.

Hot out the oven.  These were huge but we were starving.

Creamy, bacon-y, cheesy goodness.  Amen.

Chicken Alfredo Calzones 
(makes 4 calzones)

8 Slices of bacon
2 chicken breasts or 8 chicken tenders
3 tablespoon butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz jar Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
3 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons flour
1 lb pizza dough
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Start by frying the bacon.  Once cooked, remove to a plate lined with paper towels.

Carefully remove the bacon fat from the pan and wipe with a paper towel to remove the excess.  Spray with a bit of cooking spray.  Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken to the pan seasoned side down.  Season the other side of the chicken and let cook on medium high heat for about 4 minutes on each side.

While the chicken cooks, place a tablespoon of butter in a small sauce pan on medium heat.  Once melted, add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes or until it just begins to turn golden.  Add the Alfredo sauce and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and chop into bite sized pieces.  Set everything out for assembly.

Take a large jelly roll (or cookie sheet) pan and dust 1/4 of the pan with cornmeal and 1/4 of the pan (right next to it) with flour.  Take 1/4 of the pizza dough and shape it into an oval. Place it on top of the cornmeal and flour.  Pull it so it is the correct shape.

Add the chicken to half of the dough leaving enough space on the outer edge so you can seal it later.  Add the bacon, green onion, Alfredo sauce and a bit of the parmesan cheese.  Pull the other half of the dough over the ingredients to make a pocket.  Using your fingers pinch and seal the edges.

Take a sharp knife and cut three small slits in the top.  Melt the remaining 2 tbs of butter in the microwave and brush over the top.  Sprinkle with garlic salt.

Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.  Check to see if it is golden brown, if not add a few minutes at a time.  Ours took about 25 minutes.

Serve with additional Alfredo sauce and enjoy!

Recipe by: Mrs. Schwartz

Pizza Dough

Let's make pizza dough. 

I found an awesome "fool proof" recipe from Lauren's Latest a few months ago and as soon as I saw it I was itching to try it out.  I have made pizza crust before, including this whole wheat pizza crust which happens to be amazing.  But I wanted to try something a little different.  

I have to say this is a. fool proof and b. fantastic.  I used it the next night to make a little dessert as well--any guesses?  :) I will post that super simple recipe tomorrow.  For the time being, let's make some za. 

Musical Selection: Hey Mama by: Mat Kearney  Is anyone else obsessed with this song?  

Start by adding honey (to warm water, if you can tell it's down there)

And yeast.  Let it bloom until it is foamy.

Next add salt

Olive oil

And flour.  I just popped it all in my trusty stand mixer and let it do the hard work for me.  Forgot to snap a picture of that but ultimately it looked like

This.

Spray the bowl with cooking spray and cover it with an out of season dish towel.  Oh heyyy little skiing snowman, glad you could join us.  Let it rise.

Gather up your supplies which should include homemade pizza sauce from your mother-in-law.  Best.stuff.ever.  I swear we basically drink the stuff.  She has agreed to teach me how to can this fall.  I'm sure I will post about it.

The dough has risen.

Add some corn meal to your pizza peel or pizza pan.  I love the texture this adds and it makes sliding the pizza on and off the pizza stone a breeze.

Shape your dough and place on the pizza peel.  Can you tell I'm not Italian?

Slather on the heavenly sauce.

Cheese it up.

Peppers...

Onions...just on half, I wasn't feeling it that night.

And the pepperoni!  On top--I like a crispy roni.

My secret ingredient...Pizza Seasoning from Lunds and Byerly's.  It's the best stuff ever.

A few shakes of red pepper flakes on my half and about a million on Mr. Schwartz's side. Bake for about 10 minutes and out will come...

Cheesy bubbly goodness. Slice

And serve.  Absolute perfection. 

And now I'm hungry.

Pizza Dough 

(Makes 2 medium sized pizza crusts) 

1 cup warm water

2 1/4 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 tablespoon honey (or sugar)

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil 

3 cups bread flour (I used all purpose) give or take 1/2 of a cup depending on humidity 

In a large bowl (I used my stand mixer) stir together water, honey and yeast. Let this sit for 5-10 minutes to "bloom" or until it is bubbly/frothy.   Pour in salt, oil and half of the flour.  Mix. 

Once it is starting to incorporate, add in the remaining flour a little at a time (while the mixer is kneading) until you reach your desired consistency.  Keep testing the dough by touching it, if it sticks it needs more flour if it doesn't you are good to go.  

Once you get to the "not sicking on your fingers stage" turn the mixer on and let it go for 6 minutes. The dough will be soft and easy to work with at this point.  Take it out of the bowl, spray the bowl with cooking spray and put it back into the bowl.  Cover it and let it rise for 1-2 hours.  Then it is ready!  

Recipe found: here 

Notes: I like to bake my pizzas on a pizza stone here is an example.  You don't have to spend a ton of money on it and I just leave ours in the oven at all times.  It has been fine but has gathered some interesting things.  I should clean it. 

Also, preheat your oven to at least 450 to ensure a crispy crust!