Recently, I’ve been all about the make-ahead meals. I’m trying to find freezer-friendly options to stock up on during the coming months. My go-to’s would generally be casseroles (think lasagna or pot pie), soups, sauces, or desserts, but what could be easier than a meal you can grab in your hand and eat on the run?
In that regard, calzones are perfect. Fill ‘em any which way you choose, freeze ‘em, then cook, grab, and eat.
After initially coming across this recipe, I knew I wanted to go with a chicken and pesto filling, per the original bloggers’ suggestion. Instead of basil pesto, however, I subbed in my standard arugula pesto. (I already had some in the freezer… so why not?) Chicken, pesto, and lots of melted cheese? Recipe for success!
I’ll admit that the batch of arugula pesto I made for these calzones was a little too bitter. I’ve made this pesto a dozen times (and intend to make it forever more), but something got lost in translation. The pesto was just too bitter here. So when you make these — and you really should; they’re inexpensive, filling, and endlessly adaptable — perhaps stick with regular ol’ basil pesto. Just my two cents.
Still, with this basic dough recipe, you can’t go wrong. The dough came out perfectly and is reason enough for me to continue experimenting with filling combinations.
Continue reading Chicken Pesto Calzones
