Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Pocket

This is essentially a homemade hot pocket. I love to find ways to create fresh, home-cooked copies of my favorite processed meals. When I make them I know I can pronounce all the ingredients. If I want to, I can control sodium, fat, and calories. These would be great frozen, thawed overnight, and then reheated the next day for lunch.

Take two large chicken breasts, season well to taste with salt, pepper, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and a bit of dry mustard if you like that kind of thing! Bake at 350 until the chicken is cooked through. I like to bake my chicken up on wire racks on a cookie sheet. I find they cook more evenly, and keeping them out of their own liquid makes the breast more appealing overall. It won’t hurt to cook them directly on a baking sheet though.

When I check the breasts to see if they are done, often times I will cut them in half to allow the middle to cook through more quickly without drying out the rest of the breast.

To make 4 of these pockets you need a half batch of my bread dough recipe. You can use pre-made dough from the freezer or refrigerated section, but its easy to make your own! Just make sure the dough has gone through its first rise and has been punched down.

Next grab a handful of the dough and press it out into a rectangle on a well-floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a thin rectangle, approximately ¼ inch thick.

Spread 1-2 tsp of cream cheese over the middle section of the dough, and then spread 1ish Tablespoons of homemade alfredo sauce on top of the cream cheese. Jarred alfredo is also okay for this. You don’t want to make it TOO saucy or the dough near the sauce won’t cook properly. Top the sauce mixture with some diced chicken, steamed broccoli, and cheddar cheese.

Next fold the two ends up over the filling mixture.

Now fold the other ends up and over the filling mixture, covering completely. Wet your fingers and gently wet the pieces of dough that you will be sealing together and pinch the seams to seal completely.

If any part of the outside of the dough is overly sticky, sprinkle it lightly with flour. Flip over and placed on a baking sheet that’s been sprayed lightly with cooking spray. I like to line my baking sheets with tin foil for an easier clean-up. Non-stick foil is great for this! Then there is no need for cooking spray.

Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of the pockets with a mixture of olive oil, garlic powder, parsley, and salt. Cut a small steam vent in the center, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for approximately 30 minutes.

Bake these in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush again with your seasoned oil if desired.

Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Pocket

Freshly baked sandwich pocket fresh from your own oven…

Ingredients

• 1/2 batch, or approx. 4 cups bread dough
• 2 large chicken breasts
• 2 cups steamed broccoli
• 1 – 2 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup alfredo sauce
• 1 – 2 cups cheddar cheese
• various seasonings
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. Season and bake chicken breasts in a 350 degree oven until no longer pink in center. Dice chicken and set aside.
2. Roll out a handful of bread dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Spread 1-2 tsp of softened cream cheese over dough. Add 1-2 Tbsp of alfredo sauce over the cream cheese. Top with 1/2 cup diced chicken, 1/4 cup steamed chopped broccoli, and 1/4 – 1/3 cup cheddar cheese.
3. Fold up ends of dough over the filling mixture. Fold other ends up and over and seal seams shut using a bit of water if necessary.
4. Place seam side down on a prepped baking sheet, cut a small steam vent in the top, and let rise for about 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free place.
5. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Brush with oil mixture again after baking if desired.