Grown-Up Chicken and Broccoli Hot Pockets
Don’t let the title fool you. These chicken and broccoli hot pockets are loved by people of all ages. I just associate eating them with being a kid. I used to come home from school starving, throw one in the microwave for a minute or two and voila! Dinner was served. As an adult, I still love the idea of a meat-and-cheese-stuffed pastry. The only difference now is that I can make them even better myself. This homemade version may not be as convenient as throwing one in the microwave, but I promise you it will be so worth the extra effort once you taste how much better these are homemade.
Serves4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup (170 g) shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (71 g) broccoli florets
- 1 cup (140 g) shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) sour cream
- Flour, for dusting
- 1 (1-lb [454-g]) package premade pizza dough
- 1 egg, beaten
DIRECTIONS
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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First, shred the Cheddar cheese. Shredding the cheese yourself is a must! It will melt way more easily and be creamier than the pre-shredded stuff in a bag that’s usually coated with cellulose. This is a common ingredient in pre-shredded cheese, known for anti-caking and moisture absorption, which prevents it from melting the normal way. While you’ve got the grater out, shred the broccoli florets, too. This is just a shortcut to get the broccoli into little pieces. I use this little hack all the time and love it.
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Now in a large bowl, stir together the chicken, broccoli, cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder and sour cream.
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Sprinkle a little flour on your workspace and lay out the pizza dough. Cut it into four large rectangles.
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Distribute the filing evenly among the four pieces of dough onto one side of each rectangle. Then fold the other side over and push down with your fingers to close the seams.
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Place them on the parchment paper–lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg.
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Make three small slits about ½ inch (1.3 cm) long on the top of the dough of each hot pocket. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let them cool for about 2 minutes and serve warm.
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