Homemade Hot Pockets

I finally have a recipe for the homemade hot pockets that I originally posted in one of my son's lunches. That one was made from a little left over pizza dough, but today's post will show you how to quickly make a batch of four that can either be eaten immediately or frozen for packed lunches.


First, I have a confession. I have a few items in my cupboard that I'd rather not admit to. Our whole family loves pizza. My very best crackly and chewy pizza dough develops this subtle sourdough tang when it gets hidden away overnight in the refrigerator that makes it worth every minute I invest in it.

Sometimes, though, for a last minute pizza request I'll pull out Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast and whip up a dough that's ready to go in about ten minutes. It's not as good as the long rising stuff, but it's a whole lot better than no pizza at all!

Shhhh...don't tell anyone!

There are also a few non-perishables that I wouldn't ordinaraly eat that I keep around for emergencies. One of them is canned chicken. The problem is that occasionally I restock the cans when they go on sale and I'll need to work my way through the old ones.

You certainly don't have to use canned chicken. Any leftover cooked chicken will do. If you do need to rotate your hurricane supplies or just want a super easy lunch recipe, these hot pockets are the answer.

Homemade Hot Pockets

(Printable version here.)

Dough:
2 C all-purpose flour, divided
1 envelope Fleischmann's Pizza Yeast
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2/3 C warm water
3 Tbs olive oil

Filling:
1 C cooked chicken, cubed
1 C Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
1/2 C frozen peas, rinsed
1/4 tsp dried basil OR mixed Italian seasoning
pinch garlic or onion powder
salt and pepper, if desired

Additional:
corn meal for rolling out dough

Move oven rack to lowest position and preheat pizza stone at 435F. (If you don't have a pizza stone, go ahead and use a cookie sheet or other baking tray, but do not preheat it.)

Combine one of the two cups of flour with the rest of the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until smooth, then add second cup of flour.  Using dough hook, mix for a few minutes on low speed of stand mixer until dough is smooth. (The dough may also be kneaded by hand, of course.) The resulting dough dries out quickly, so wrap in plastic or cover with damp towel if not using immediately.

Mix the filling ingredients in a separate bowl. Divide the dough into four equal pieces, then shape into balls. Sprinkle a light layer of cornmeal onto cutting board or other surface. Roll dough out into four ovals, about four inches by eight inches in size. Using a docking tool or a fork, poke holes about half an inch apart over the entire surface of the dough to prevent bubbles.

Carefully mound a quarter of the filling mixture towards the long end of each of the ovals while leaving about a quarter inch of the edge uncovered. (It's easier if the filling goes on the end closest to you.) Dip a finger or paper towel in water and run it around the outside edge of the dough. Very gently and slowly stretch the dough over the filling while folding in half. The pockets will be stuffed full, but the dough is elastic enough to cover all the filling.

Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges, then use a serrated knife to slash a few holes on the top to let air escape. Slide the pockets onto the preheated pizza stone or a cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Tip: If planning to pack pockets in a lunchbox, measure them before baking and push in sides if they are too wide. For example, the largest compartment of the Easy Lunchbox I usually use is about 4 by 5 inches, so I always check to make sure they will fit!

To freeze, first allow pockets to cool to room temperature then place in freezer on a cooling rack. Once frozen move to a plastic zipper bag. If packing in a lunch box, place pockets in refrigerator to defrost the night before.

Now for my big news, in case you made it this far without noticing! I have moved The Allergic Kid from its old blogspot address to my very own website, AllergicKid.com. Don't worry, if you go to the old address it will redirect you here. I'm still doing some renovation on the new site, but I feel like a proud mama.

I'm sharing my plump little pockets with:

• Allergy Free Wednesday with The Willing Cook
• What's Cooking Wednesday at Turning Back the Clock
• What's for Lunch Wednesday at BentoLunch.net
• Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love at Allergy Free Vintage Cookery

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.