This chicken parm calzone recipe is loaded with crispy, creamy textures. Its filling is extremely flavorful and juicy and they are easy to make as well!
Give them a try! You won’t regret it! And make sure to check out the shortcuts you can use to save even more time!
About Our Delicious Italian Chicken Calzone Recipe
Today, we experiment with two of our favorite dishes: chicken parmesan and calzones!
This chicken parm calzone recipe is incredibly easy to make and there are loads of shortcuts.
For one, you can buy premade fresh or frozen pizza dough. Don’t buy actual pizza bases. You need to use “raw” dough and shape it into the disc sizes you want.
Fresh homemade dough is the best to use. And our recipe only takes 10 minutes at the most. But, we understand that sometimes time is of the essence!
You can also buy frozen chicken tenders and simply bake them before you begin assembling this chicken parm calzone recipe. Today, you are even able to find freshly crumbed chicken tenders.
These two shortcuts alone will save you about 20 minutes!
Our chicken parmesan calzones are packed with flavors and crispy, creamy textures.
They can also be made in advance and frozen for later use. Freeze them before they are cooked.
Place them inside an airtight container in a single layer. Cover the container with foil to help protect them from freezer burn.
What You Need To Make This Chicken Parm Calzone Recipe
Ingredients for the dough
- 3 1/3 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 sachet (7 grams) fast acting dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup water, lukewarm
Ingredients for the crispy chicken
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into 2/3-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
Ingredients for the filling
- 1 cup premade pizza sauce, plus extra for topping
- 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, plus extra for topping
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Deep-fryer, air-fryer, or oven
- Rolling pin
- Baking dish
- Non-stick baking paper
Chicken Parm Calzone Recipe: Step by step instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make sure they are mixed well so the ingredients are evenly distributed. Make a well in the center.
Then, add the olive oil and 3/4 cup of water. Whisk the ingredients together using a fork or spoon. Add more water until your dough has come together.
Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it for a minute or so until it gets smooth.
Leave the dough to rest in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with plastic or a damp towel. Set it aside until you need it again.
Step 2: Crumb the chicken tenders
Prepare the chicken breasts and set them aside. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Place the beaten eggs in another separate bowl. Finally, add the Panko breadcrumbs to a final mixing bowl.
Start dipping a slice of chicken into the flour, then the beaten eggs, then the breadcrumbs. Repeat the step once more so the chicken has two coatings.
Set the piece aside. Repeat these steps until all of the chicken has been crumb-coated.
Step 3: Cook the crumbed chicken
For this recipe, you can cook the chicken tenders inside the air-fryer, in the oven, or a deep-fryer.
If you are deep-frying the chicken, it will take between 6-8 minutes. Remember to drain any excess oil on the chicken.
If you want to air-fry the chicken strips, it will also take 7-9 minutes at 360ºF (180ºC).
Inside the oven, your crumbed chicken strips will take between 10-20 minutes at 400ºF (200ºC). The exact time depends on the thickness of your strips.
Once your chicken is cooked and crispy, chop it into smaller pieces.
Step 4: Assemble the chicken calzones
Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a baking dish with non-stick baking paper.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Then, roll it into a disc that’s roughly 1/6-inch thick.
Spread some pizza sauce over one-half of the disc. Leave a 1/2-inch border around the edge.
Top the pizza sauce with some grated mozzarella, grated parmesan, and chopped crispy chicken tenders.
Fold over the other half of the dough and pinch the sides closed. You can use a little bit of water to help the dough edges stick to each other.
Place your calzones onto a lined baking pan. Repeat the steps until you have 4 uniform calzones.
Step 5: Bake the chicken parmesan calzone
Use a sharp knife to cut three small slits on top of the calzones. Brush the dough with melted butter.
Leave the calzones to bake for about 20-25 minutes. The dough should be golden brown.
Add some more pizza sauce over the calzones and top them with grated mozzarella. Allow them to bake for another 10 minutes.
Expert Tips And Tricks
- You can divide the pizza dough into however many portions you want.
- Remember, your chicken parm calzone calories will increase as the portion sizes increase. This isn’t a healthy dish, so you shouldn’t overeat if you are on a diet.
- The parmesan cheese isn’t replaceable. The mozzarella cheese on the other hand is. You can use any cheese that melts nicely. Mozzarella has the best, most neutral flavor. But you can also try Cotija, Havarti, and cheddar.
- You can also bake your calzones inside the air-fryer. Preheat the appliance to 400ºF (200ºC). Then, bake the calzones initially for 15-20 minutes. Add the sauce and cheese and continue baking them for another 5 minutes.
Preparations Times And Servings
Preparation Time | Baking Time | Servings |
40 minutes | 30-35 minutes | 4 |
Wrapping Things Up – An Uber Cheesy Chicken Parm Calzone Recipe
We hope that you have enjoyed our chicken parm calzone recipe. The recipe is pretty versatile, but we love the combination of savory and creamy (slightly sweet) flavors.
If you want to make more of these fusion dishes, let us know in the comments below. And don’t forget to go have a look at our many other delicious, hearty recipes.
Read more about 3 Best Italian American Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
Easy, Crispy and Rich Chicken Parm Calzone Recipe - Makes 4
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Deep-fryer, air-fryer, or oven
- Rolling pin
- Baking dish
- Non-stick baking paper
Ingredients
Ingredients for the dough
- 3 1/3 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 sachet (7 grams) fast acting dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup water, lukewarm
Ingredients for the crispy chicken
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into 2/3-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
Ingredients for the filling
- 1 cup premade pizza sauce, plus extra for topping
- 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, plus extra for topping
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Instructions
- Make the doughCombine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make sure they are mixed well so the ingredients are evenly distributed. Make a well in the center.Then, add the olive oil and 3/4 cup of water. Whisk the ingredients together using a fork or spoon. Add more water until your dough has come together.Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it for a minute or so until it gets smooth.Leave the dough to rest in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with plastic or a damp towel. Set it aside until you need it again.3 1/3 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting, 1 sachet (7 grams) fast acting dried yeast, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon caster sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup water, lukewarm
- Crumb the chicken tendersPrepare the chicken breasts and set them aside. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl.Place the beaten eggs in another separate bowl. Finally, add the Panko breadcrumbs to a final mixing bowl.Start dipping a slice of chicken into the flour, then the beaten eggs, then the breadcrumbs. Repeat the step once more so the chicken has two coatings.Set the piece aside. Repeat these steps until all of the chicken has been crumb-coated.1 pound chicken breast, cut into 2/3-inch slices, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 large eggs, beaten, 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
- Cook the crumbed chickenFor this recipe, you can cook the chicken tenders inside the air-fryer, in the oven, or a deep-fryer.If you are deep-frying the chicken, it will take between 6-8 minutes. Remember to drain any excess oil on the chicken.If you want to air-fry the chicken strips, it will also take 7-9 minutes at 360ºF (180ºC).Inside the oven, your crumbed chicken strips will take between 10-20 minutes at 400ºF (200ºC). The exact time depends on the thickness of your strips.Once your chicken is cooked and crispy, chop it into smaller pieces.
- Assemble the chicken calzonesPreheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a baking dish with non-stick baking paper.Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Then, roll it into a disc that's roughly 1/6-inch thick.Spread some pizza sauce over one-half of the disc. Leave a 1/2-inch border around the edge.Top the pizza sauce with some grated mozzarella, grated parmesan, and chopped crispy chicken tenders.Fold over the other half of the dough and pinch the sides closed. You can use a little bit of water to help the dough edges stick to each other.Place your calzones onto a lined baking pan. Repeat the steps until you have 4 uniform calzones.1 cup premade pizza sauce, plus extra for topping, 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, plus extra for topping, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- Bake the chicken parmesan calzoneUse a sharp knife to cut three small slits on top of the calzones. Brush the dough with melted butter.Leave the calzones to bake for about 20-25 minutes. The dough should be golden brown.Add some more pizza sauce over the calzones and top them with grated mozzarella. Allow them to bake for another 10 minutes.2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Notes
Nutrition
My name is Ania, and I am very glad to see you here. I have always loved cooking; even some of my earliest memories are flipping through a cookbook and making pudding standing on a stool because I was too small to reach the stove.
You should know that I am not a professionally trained chef, just a big food lover who grew up in a family obsessed with cooking and focused on what we eat.