Chicken Pesto Calzone Braid – quick and delicious dinner idea! Packed with tender chicken, creamy cheese, and flavorful pesto. Baked to golden perfection, it’s perfect for dipping in marinara or enjoying on its own. A family favorite that’s as easy as it is tasty!
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Easy Chicken Calzone Recipe
This Chicken Pesto Calzone is one of our favorite midweek meals. The golden, flaky crust gives way to a warm, cheesy filling loaded with tender chicken and the vibrant, herby goodness of pesto. Dip it in marinara or enjoy it as is—it’s a little pocket of pure deliciousness!
How to Make Chicken Pesto Calzone Braid
This calzone is super easy to make with only a few simple ingredients. Combine shredded chicken, pesto, minced garlic, pizza sauce, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl—season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Unroll a can of refrigerated pizza dough on top of parchment paper and roll it into a long rectangle. Using a sharp knife, make cuts on the long sides of the dough. Cut 12 wide strips on each side.
Spoon the chicken mixture down the center of the dough. Lift strips of dough and crisscross across the filling. Place the braid on a baking sheet or large pizza pan.
Bake in a preheated until the pizza crust has a deep golden brown color. Top the braid with pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese and bake until the cheese melts. Let the braid cool for 5 minutes and then cut into slices with a serrated knife or pizza cutter. Sprinkle with fresh basil.
Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
- I use rotisserie chicken in this recipe. This is a great recipe to use up any leftover chicken you have in the fridge.
- You can use pizza dough or a can of crescent roll dough.
- Add your favorite pizza toppings and vegetables to the calzone filling:
- pepperoni
- mushrooms
- spinach
- red onion
- bacon
- I top the calzone with pizza sauce and cheese to make it look pretty. You can skip that step if you prefer.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
What to Serve with Chicken Calzone
This is a delicious twist on our usual pizza night. We love the flavor combination of chicken, cheese, and pesto. One bite, and you will agree! This calzone is a flavorful, hearty dish that pairs perfectly with light and fresh sides to balance their richness.
- A crisp salad or mixed greens with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette adds a refreshing touch to the meal.
- For something warm, consider a simple tomato soup, which complements the savory pesto and cheesy filling.
- Roasted vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, or asparagus make a colorful and wholesome addition.
- To round things out, serve with a side of marinara sauce or garlic butter for dipping.
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Chicken Pesto Calzone Braid
Yield: 4 people
Chicken Pesto Calzone Braid – quick and delicious dinner idea! Packed with tender chicken, creamy cheese, and flavorful pesto. Baked to golden perfection, it’s perfect for dipping in marinara or enjoying on its own. A family favorite that’s as easy as it is tasty!
- 1 (13.8-oz) can pizza dough
- 1½ cups chopped cooked chicken
- ⅓ cup pesto
- 1 clove minced garlic
- ⅓ cup ricotta cheese
- 5 Tbsp pizza sauce divided
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella divided
-
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Combine shredded chicken, pesto, minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon pizza sauce, parmesan cheese, and ¼ cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl—season with salt and black pepper to taste.
-
Unroll a can of refrigerated pizza dough on top of parchment paper and roll it into a long rectangle. Using a sharp knife, make cuts on the long sides of the dough. Cut 12 wide strips on each side.
-
Spoon the chicken mixture down the center of the dough. Lift strips of dough and crisscross across the filling. Place the braid on a baking sheet or large pizza pan.
-
Bake for 25-28 minutes until the pizza crust is golden brown. Top the braid with ¼ cup pizza sauce and ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese and bake until the cheese melts.
-
Let the braid cool for 5 minutes and then cut into slices with a serrated knife or pizza cutter. Sprinkle with fresh basil.
- I use rotisserie chicken in this recipe. This is a great recipe to use up any leftover chicken you have in the fridge.
- You can use pizza dough or a can of crescent roll dough.
- Add your favorite pizza toppings and vegetables to the calzone filling:
- pepperoni
- mushrooms
- spinach
- red onion
- bacon
- I top the calzone with pizza sauce and cheese to make it look pretty. You can skip that step if you prefer.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Steph
Remember this recipe.
Pin this recipe to your favorite board now to remember it later!
Pin This Recipe
