Grilled Chicken BBQ Calzones
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Grilled calzones filled with smoky chipotle BBQ chicken and charred veggies. Uses skewered onions and red bell peppers for quick grilling and flavor layering. Dough sealed tight to trap steam, cooked low and slow on the barbecue for a crispy crust with melty insides. A rustic, smoky twist on calzones using beer-infused BBQ sauce. No dairy, nuts, gluten, or eggs here. Simple ingredients transformed by technique and fire. Great summer grilling choice, four servings. Developed to cut the original calories and cooking times down slightly while adding fresh salsa verde for tang.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
45 min
Servings:
4 servings
#grilling
#chicken
#barbecue
#calzones
#summer cooking
#chipotle
#no dairy
#gluten free option
Calzones, grilled style. Smoke, char, pop of spicy chipotle BBQ sauce. Chicken bites, juicy, coated in sweet beer sauce, mingle with smoky grilled onions and red peppers. Not your usual calzone—this one breathes fire. Dough folded tight like a treasure chest. Open fire. Fire that cooks, crisps, seals. Worked on this method over years. Skewering veggies speeds grilling and keeps chunks uniform; you lose that random burned edge. But don’t overdo it. Char is good but not charcoal. I added bright salsa verde to offset richness, something I learned after a few too-sweet bites last summer. Low grill temp and covered lid means even cooking, no black crust gotchas. Listen for sizzle, watch crust color. Skip freezer dough here, fresh dough shines with slight chew and crunch combo. Fun. Little messy, but that’s where the flavor is. Perfect for summer evenings with cold beer or spiked lemonade.
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion quartered
- 1 red bell pepper cut in 1 inch chunks
- 2 soaked wooden skewers
- 12 ml olive oil
- 375 ml cooked chicken diced
- 100 ml smoky chipotle BBQ sauce with beer
- Fresh salsa verde 60 ml added
- Salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 batch pizza dough divided into 4 parts
About the ingredients
Use small onion pieces to avoid uneven grilling; thick onion chunks stay tough inside. Red bell pepper sweetens with char marks, substitutable with yellow or orange if needed. Swap BBQ sauce for homemade chipotle-infused ketchup if store-bought too sugary or thick; thin with apple cider vinegar and a dash of smoked paprika. The fresh salsa verde adds acidity and herbaceous brightness you might miss if you skip it. Dough—you want a slightly tacky but elastic dough; avoid dry or very wet. It affects sealing and chew. Keep olive oil and dry rubs ready to prevent sticking and enhance crust. Use soaked skewers to prevent burning and impart subtle wood aroma. No nuts, dairy, eggs—easy for those avoiding allergens. Chicken leftovers or rotisserie make life easier, giving good texture and flavor. Skip pre-baking dough; the grill does that magic.
Method
- Preheat grill to high heat. Oil skewers after soaking so veggies don't stick. Thread onion and bell pepper chunks on skewers fairly tight for even cooking.
- Season skewered veggies with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place over direct flame. Listen for sizzle, smell that sweet char. Turn every 4 minutes until softened, edges show deep grill marks about 8 to 10 minutes total.
- Pull veggies off skewers gently. Chop roughly and transfer to bowl, set aside to cool. The caramelized onions bring sweet notes, peppers add smoky crunch.
- Clean grill grates thoroughly this time. Avoid flare-ups that burn dough.
- Mix chicken with BBQ sauce plus fresh salsa verde for brightness. Taste and adjust salt and pepper carefully. The salsa cuts the richness of BBQ.
- On floured board, roll out dough pieces into 7-inch discs. Slightly thinner than before for quicker cooking and crispier base.
- Layer half of each dough round with chicken and veggie mixture, leaving about 1.3 cm border free. Wet edges with water to seal crust snug. Press firmly; no leaks or exploding calzones allowed.
- Lower grill temperature to medium-low. Place calzones on indirect heat zone. Close lid quickly to trap heat and melt fillings.
- Cook 4 minutes per side, patience here pays off. Flip carefully with wide spatula. Look for golden crisp and bottom that sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove from grill, rest 5 minutes before cutting. This lets juices redistribute and dough finish steaming inside.
- Serve with extra salsa verde or a side crunchy slaw for contrast.
Cooking tips
Preheat grill fully. Hot coals or gas flames are crucial for that sear on veggies and crunch on crust. Skewers keep veggies from rolling, making it easy to handle on grill; foil wraps work but lose char flavor. Picking the right grill zone saves you from burnt dough disasters. Clean grates so no residue smokes up flavors. Flatten dough to thinner discs; this changes cook time but prevents doughy middles and helps crisp underside. Wet edges—don’t skimp—if dry, calzone bursts and juice leaks, worse on barbeque than oven. Flip carefully with wide spatula or tongs, the grab can tear dough. Cook low and slow after searing veggies; BBQ is tricky for dough. Use color to judge doneness: golden brown crust, bubbling juices peeking from a slight tear. Resting post-grill firms calzones—try cutting too soon, you’ll lose juices and get a soggy mess. Serve with something fresh like salsa or slaw to break richness. If weather turns or flames flare, finish in oven at 190°C (375°F) for 5 mins to crisp up. Focus on smell—smoky, sweet, slightly spicy means you’re close. Watch texture too, dough springs back slightly indicating it’s done.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Skewers soaked well before grilling. Prevent burning and impart subtle smoky aroma. Thread veggies tight enough to cook evenly but not mushy. Watch closely for that sizzle and dark grill marks, edges soften yet still hold shape. Flip every 4 minutes to avoid blackness, not charcoal taste needed.
- 💡 Dough thinner than usual. Rolls out to 7-inch discs; thinner means crisp crust and quicker cook. Helps keep crumb structure light, less doughy inside. Wet edges with water not too much to avoid sogginess. Press firmly to seal tight, leaks ruin grill session. If dough too dry, tears easily, bad for juice retention.
- 💡 Lower grill heat after searing veggies. Medium-low indirect zone traps heat like oven. Lid closed fast to trap steam. Melts filling without burning crust. Flip carefully with wide spatula; grab tears dough quick. Rest calzones 5 mins post-grill to redistribute juices. Cutting too soon = watery mess inside.
- 💡 Substitutions work. Red bell pepper can be yellow or orange. BBQ sauce can swap for homemade chipotle ketchup—if too thick, thin with vinegar and smoked paprika. Chicken leftovers or rotisserie add texture, skip boiling chicken for better flavor mix. Salsa verde key for acidity; skip it, calzone feels flat and cloying.
- 💡 Clean grates every time. Avoid burnt dough disasters and smoky residue flavors. Watch grill flare-ups; flare kills dough fast. If flare happens, move calzones or finish in 190°C oven 5 minutes. Listen for golden crust sounds, hollow tap under calzone signals doneness. Dough springs back slightly; if too soft, needs more time.
Common questions
How important is skewer soaking?
Crucial. Prevents burning wood flavor. Dry skewers char quickly, veggies stick. Soaked skewers last longer and add subtle smokiness. Can't skip unless using metal skewers.
Can I use frozen dough?
Fresh dough best for texture difference. Frozen sometimes too moist or hard to seal. If frozen used, thaw well, pat dry, maybe add more flour to avoid sticky. Risk of tougher crust though.
Why do calzones leak on grill?
Mostly dry edge seals or overstuffed filling. Water seal needs generous dabs. Pressure when pressing important, even small gaps explode. Dough too dry or thin at edges tears easier. Avoid opening before rest.
Best storage method?
Cool completely first. Wrap airtight in foil or plastic wrap for fridge up to 2 days. Reheat on grill or oven to crisp crust back. Freezing possible wrapped, but texture loss expected. Reheat slowly to avoid dry filling.
