Chicken Parmesan Calzone Recipe (2024)

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By Shawn Williams

5 from 3 votes

Nov 11, 2018, Updated Mar 14, 2024

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Chicken Parmesan Calzone Recipe (2)

The chicken parmesan calzone made its mark on my life in college. I went to Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH. Probably unbeknownst to anyone reading this outside of New England. Any current student or alumni will be able to speak of their legendary calzones and their forever-lasting memories.

The most unique element of this calzone is the pizza-like finish. It’s of course prepared like your typical half-moon-shaped calzone, but with a layer of mozzarella cheese and sauce covering the outer crust. It gives the exterior an unreal cheesy, crispy texture, just like chicken parmesan.

I think a calzone is the perfect party food when cut in thin slices. Round out your menu with some Philly Cheesesteak Sliders and Fried Pickles.

Table of Contents

  • Ingredients
  • Prepping and Folding Dough
  • The Final Cheese Topping
  • More Recipes You’ll Love
  • Chicken Parmesan Calzone Recipe

Ingredients

The chicken parm calzone must be simple. Crispy chicken (I use frozen Tyson chicken tenders but absolutely make your own if you’re ambitious), pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese, and melted butter for the crust. My calzone is folded into a perfect half-moon and baked until golden brown.

As a disclaimer, the chicken MUST be fully cooked before baking your calzone. You don’t want to risk undercooked chicken. It’s much easier to manage cook times this way.

Prepping and Folding Dough

Roll the pizza dough into your typical circular pizza crust, ensuring that the dough is not too thin. 1/4 inch thick is ideal. It’s okay if it’s a little thicker around the edges. Top one half with your toppings, and fold the other half over, pinching the ends where the two halves meet, creating a perfect half-moon shape.

The Final Cheese Topping

This is not called for in your typical calzone however it’s the essential final touch for chicken parmesan. Add a thin layer of sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese to the top of the crust, giving you a pizza ON TOP of your calzone. It sounds like it may be too much, but it’s the special touch that sets this calzone apart from the rest.

Slice into thin strips and serve. Perfect for sharing at your next football party.

Chicken Parmesan Calzone Recipe (3)

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Chicken Parmesan Calzone Recipe (8)
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5 from 3 votes

Chicken Parmesan Calzone Recipe

By: Shawn Williams

Servings: 1

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

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Chicken Parmesan Calzone Recipe (9)

The only calzone recipe you’ll ever need—a chicken parm calzone filled with crispy chicken, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses.

Ingredients

  • 16-20 ounces pizza dough
  • 6-7 fully cooked crispy chicken tenders, sliced (I like Tyson Crispy Chicken Strips)
  • 8 ounce bag shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup pizza sauce
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • flour for dough

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 °F.If using frozen chicken tenders, cook them ahead of time according to the directions on the package.Slice into smaller strips and set aside.

  • Meanwhile, roll out the dough into a 12 inch circle, like you would pizza crust.

  • Choose one half, and spread 1/2 cup of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a one inch border around the edge. Top the same half with 1 cup mozzarella cheese, all parmesan cheese, and chicken tenders.

  • Fold the other half of the dough over the filling to the opposite edge, forming a half moon shape. Pinch the ends together to seal.

  • Place calzone on a greased baking sheet and baste the top with melted butter. Use a knife to pierce three 1/2 inch slits in the top of the calzone. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the calzone from the oven and top evenly (again leaving a 1 inch crust around the edges) with 1/4 cup pizza sauce and about 1/2 a cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven, let cool for 5-7 minutes, and slice into strips for serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 38.4gProtein: 20.3gFat: 12.7gSaturated Fat: 5.1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 746mgFiber: 3.6gSugar: 0.3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Tried this recipe?Mention @kitchenswagger or tag #kitchenswagger!

About Shawn Williams

My name is Shawn, author behind Kitchen Swagger. I'm a food & drink enthusiast bringing you my own simple and delicious restaurant-inspired recipes.

Read More About Me

Chicken Parmesan Calzone Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is pizza dough the same as calzone dough? ›

Both are prepared with flour, water, salt, and yeast; that's the solution. In contrast, the eggs and olive oil used in most calzone dough give it a deeper flavor and a softer texture. Eggs and oil are not common ingredients in pizza dough, contributing to its crispiness and durability.

How do you keep calzones from getting soggy? ›

Don't forget to cut steam vents in the top of each calzone.

This prevents the dough from getting soggy, but it also releases the steam that builds up inside the pocket and causes the seam to burst.

Does sauce go inside a calzone? ›

Calzones' fillings do not include sauce; marinara is served on the side for dipping. Stromboli portions can also be dipped, but they can also be baked with the sauce inside.

Is a calzone made with ricotta or stromboli? ›

Stromboli almost always contains mozzarella cheese, and will sometimes have another low-moisture cheese mixed in. Calzones, on the other hand, tend to contain ricotta cheese. You'll often find other cheeses like mozzarella as well, but ricotta is traditional in a calzone and almost never found in a stromboli.

Should you poke holes in a calzone? ›

When assembling calzone, put cheese on first. This method prevents the sauce from going through and sogging up the dough. Poke holes or slits in calzone before baking to prevent a dough balloon from taking flight in your oven. Use the oven's middle rack for baking calzone.

Should you flip a calzone? ›

Step 2 - Bake

Baking times vary by air fryer. Calzone is done when it's golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Tip: To achieve a crisper bottom crust, use tongs or a spatula to flip the calzone over for the final 2 to 3 minutes of baking.

How do you seal the edge of a calzone? ›

Dip your finger in a bowl of water and use it to lightly wet the edges of the calzones. This will help seal it much better.

Why isn't my chicken parm crispy? ›

To maximize crispiness, I use panko breadcrumbs and fry the chicken in a little more oil (about an inch) than you might normally use when making parm. As soon as the cutlets are nicely browned and cooked all the way though, drain them on a rack or paper towels. They're crunchy; this will help them stay that way.

Why does the breading fall off my chicken parm? ›

Meat is not properly dry

If the meat is wet, it will make the flour soggy. In that case, breading will not stick properly and may fall off when deep frying. Therefore, you must take some paper towels and pat dry the meat on all sides.

Why is there no sauce in a calzone? ›

Sauce: Usually pizza sauce is used either as a dip or even inside the filling in Calzone. There is a scare of the calzone becoming soggy if you add more sauce to the filling. So our recommendation would be to serve it with hot pizza sauce on the side.

Should a calzone have ricotta? ›

Calzones use ricotta cheese, and stromboli does not. Stromboli is made with mozzarella cheese (preferably low-moisture) to keep moisture at a minimum. This helps the interior dough cook fully. Calzones usually use a blend of cheese that almost always incorporates ricotta.

Do you cook calzone the same as pizza? ›

A calzone is made very similar to a pizza, however it is folded and half and then baked. Being Italian I would say no, but as a baker I say Yes, it is a pizza folded in half. Yes. They go in the same oven with a stone surface, and cook it for about the same amount of time.

What is the difference between pizza and calzone? ›

The basic difference between a pizza and a calzone is that a pizza is served on flat open bread, while a calzone is a closed dough dish that basically can have similar ingredients. Pizza, unlike the calzones, needs no introduction. It is known and eaten in almost every part of the world.

What is a substitute for pizza dough? ›

Save time by swapping your regular pizza dough for simple substitutes. Our alternative bases include pitta bread, naan, puff pastry, wraps and polenta. Whether you're short of flour or don't have time to make a pizza base, we've compiled 10 simple shortcuts using shop-bought substitutes.

Is stromboli dough different than pizza dough? ›

Re: Calzones, Stromboli, Pizza Same dough or different??? Most operatore will use the same dough (their regular pizza dough) for making all three. There are a few shops that specialize in making stromboli and calzones. These doughs tend to be a little richer than your average pizza dough.

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