Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Stromboli

My husband and I are both huge fans of homemade Stromboli.  I normally use my mother's recipe and fill it with the traditional Genoa Salami, Regular or Capicola Ham and Provolone Cheese.  Baked to a perfect golden brown, sliced and dipped in marinara sauce... it is one of our favorite snacks or meals.

Kevin, as you may or may not know, has a bit of an obsession with all things hot sauce/buffalo wing flavor related.  In particular, Frank's Red Hot.  He puts Frank's on eggs, pizza, french fries, burgers, potatoes, heck even steaks sometimes.  I'm convinced he is going to develop a stomach ulcer or just blow out his gut one of these days from his excessive use of hot sauce... but there is no stopping him.

Tonight, I decided... if I can't beat him, may as well join him, right?  Someone sent me a link to a delicious looking stromboli stuffed with buffalo chicken.  I knew this would have Kevin going gaga, so I thought I would treat him.

Here is the base for the recipe I used...  http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/buffalo-chicken-stromboli/0123bbba-466f-4e23-8faa-1dc439a34432/?WT.dcsvid=NzkwMTYwMDQ2NQS2&rvrin=5B68C20E-99B0-44AD-8C40-BC0B5007B74C&WT.mc_id=Newsletter_PB_PB_2012_04_17&nicreatID2=Newsletter_PB_PB_2012_04_17

It's from Pillsbury.com which has lots of very simple,quick and easy type recipes.

Here is my version:

• 1 Box of Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix (blue box)  Mix the dough as directed on the back of the box.
• 1 pound of chicken (I use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but leftover chicken of any kind would work great too... this would be a perfect way to get rid of leftovers!!)
• 1-2 cups of Frank's Red Hot hot sauce
• 1 package of shredded cheddar cheese
• Ranch dressing for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. If not using leftover chicken, boil the chicken until cooked through.  (I know I know... boiling chicken just sounds terrible, but trust me... there is no need to bake it, boiling is best here)
3. While the chicken is boiling, roll out the dough into an oval shape.  You can do one large or cut the dough in half and do two small mini strombolis
4. Shred or chop the cooked chicken very fine (I use my handy dandy slap chop for this) and stir in the hot sauce.  The chicken should be well coated, but you don't want excess liquid so add as much or as little as you need.  
5. Sprinkle a layer of cheddar cheese onto the dough, leaving 1-2 inch border around the outside with no cheese.  Pour the hot sauce/chicken mixture on top of the cheese, spreading evenly and keeping the 1-2 inch border bare.  Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
6. Fold the outside ends in until they meet in the middle, slightly overlap then pinch closed to seal.  Then fold the top and bottom ends in, doing the same.
7. Roll the stromboli onto a baking sheet (I always use parchment paper... makes it easier to roll and easier to clean up after).  
8. Brush the top of the stromboli with olive oil and slice 3-4 small slits in the top of the dough (to allow air to escape and prevent from forming a huge bubble).
9. Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

We sliced and dipped ours in ranch dressing, but if you are a huge fan of buffalo ranch flavor, you can mix a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (the powder stuff) in with the chicken and Frank's Red Hot for a Buffalo Ranch Stromboli.  Enjoy!!