Down Home Cooking Recipe #05 - Ranch Chicken Calzones

One of my favorite grocery stores is Trader Joe's. Those who are not familiar with this chain, it is a small grocer focused on organic and healthy foods. This past week I found one of the best finds there.... Pizza Dough for $1!

They had three types, plain, whole wheat, and garlic herb. I picked up two packages of the garlic herb to make calzones for my family and parents for Father's Day. These were a HUGE hit, inexpensive to make and ooh so GOOD!

Servings Size: 4 Calzones

What You Need:
1 pkg (20oz) garlic herb pizza crust
2c cooked chopped chicken
2c cooked chopped broccoli
1/4 ranch
1 egg
1 tsp onion powder
2 garlic cloves minced
1c mozzarella cheese shredded
1c provolone shredded
1/2c butter
1 1/2 tsp pizza seasoning (Italian seasoning will work)

How to Make:

1) Preheat oven to 450 (f). Grease baking sheet. Divide pizza dough into 4 parts, rolling out four 8in circles.

2) In a large bowl whisk egg, onion powder, 1 tsp pizza seasoning, and minced garlic. Stir in ranch, chicken and broccoli. Mix in cheese.

3) Spoon mixture into center of each dough circle. About 1 cup mixture each. Fold over dough and seal. Cut 2 small air vents on the top of each calzone.

4) Melt butter in microwave. Mix in remaining pizza seasoning. Brush butter mixture onto each calzone.

4) Bake the calzones for 15 minutes, re-brush with butter, then put in for 5 more minutes or until outer calzone is lightly brown and crunchy. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.


You can change the fillings as fits your taste. For the less picky eaters in my family I enjoy serving a roasted red pepper, spinach, and fresh mozzarella pizza.