Buffalo Chicken Calzones

If you’re a fan of buffalo wings and calzones, meet your new favorite comfort food mashup: buffalo chicken calzones. This tasty buffalo chicken calzone recipe combines the zesty heat of buffalo sauce with the gooey, cheesy goodness of a classic calzone. Each bite delivers a zesty blend of spicy shredded chicken, crisp celery, tangy pizza sauce and a melty duo of Monterey Jack and blue cheeses. They are all encased in a golden, flaky crust.

Whether you’re hosting a game day gathering or simply craving a hearty meal with a kick, these calzones are sure to satisfy any hungry crowd. Perfect for dipping in extra buffalo sauce or a side of cool ranch, this recipe riff brings the heat and flavor you love from two classic snacks packed into one delicious package!

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Calzones

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• Sauces: For a unique twist on spicy chicken dip and pizza pockets, we used two types of sauce in these calzones: pizza sauce and buffalo wing sauce.
• Chicken: You’ll also need 4 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts. The chicken is cooked and cubed so it mixes into the sauce and other ingredients.
• Celery: Celery is a classic buffalo chicken accompaniment so we chopped up a few ribs to add to the mix.
• Butter: We used butter to cook the chicken and celery. The dairy adds depth of flavor and richness to these savory treats but you could also use olive oil or ghee.
• Cajun seasoning: A kicked-up Cajun seasoning blend makes everything better, including this creamy buffalo chicken mixture.
• Pizza crust: Although you could make homemade pizza dough for the calzone crust, refrigerated pizza crust works just as well and saves you the hassle.
• Cheese: We used shredded Monterey Jack cheese and blue cheese, buffalo chicken’s best friend. The cheeses blend so well when paired with the pizza and Buffalo sauces.
• Cornmeal: The secret ingredient for getting pizza crust nice and crispy when it’s baking.

Directions

Step 1: Make the sauce

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Combine the pizza sauce and 2 teaspoons of Buffalo wing sauce in a small bowl. Mix well and then set aside.

Step 2: Make the buffalo chicken

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In a large skillet, cook the chicken and celery in butter over medium heat for three to five minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink; drain if necessary. Stir in the Cajun seasoning and the remaining 1/2 cup of Buffalo wing sauce, then cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is heated through.

Step 3: Make the calzones

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Preheat the oven to 400°F, unroll the pizza dough and divide each portion in half. Roll each dough portion into an 8-inch circle on a floured surface. Spread the pizza sauce mixture over half of each circle to within 1 inch of the edge. Top with the chicken mixture and cheese. Fold the dough over the filling, pinching or crimping the edges to seal them.

Step 4: Bake the calzones

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Sprinkle the greased baking sheets with cornmeal. Place the calzones over the cornmeal, making sure they don’t touch and there’s enough space between them. Bake until they’re golden brown, for 10 to 12 minutes.

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How to Store Buffalo Chicken Calzones

Don’t expect too many leftovers with these crowd-pleasing calzones. The buffalo chicken pizza flavors are downright delicious, especially baked into a flaky golden crust. On the off chance you have a few remaining, store them in a sealed airtight container or plastic bags in the fridge.

What’s the best way to reheat buffalo chicken calzones?

Pop them in the microwave for 60 seconds to warm the chicken mixture inside. You can also preheat the oven to 350°F, spray the calzones with olive oil spray and bake for 7 to 10 minutes if you prefer a crispier calzone. You can also reheat them in the air fryer or toaster oven.

How long does Buffalo chicken last?

Homemade calzones can last for three to five days in the fridge but we recommend storing unbaked calzones and only baking them before you’re ready to serve as fresh is always best.

Buffalo Chicken Calzones Tips

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Can you use other kinds of chicken to make buffalo chicken calzones?

Yes! You can swap out chicken thighs for chicken breasts. To save time you can use rotisserie chicken or chopped frozen chicken tenders.

Can you use homemade pizza dough to make buffalo chicken calzones?

You can use homemade pizza dough instead of store-bought. Give our best pizza dough a try and make extra to freeze so you always have some on hand!

What should you use as a dipping sauce for buffalo chicken calzones?

The best sauces for dipping these buffalo chicken calzones are (of course!) blue cheese and ranch. Make your own ranch mix that you can turn into dressing or dip. Or make our blue cheese dressing (and save some for a nice wedge salad).