Pesto Chicken Copy Cat Hot Pockets are an excellent alternative to the store bought version. Use your own puff pastry or the recipe included and swap the ingredients to make it your own!
Well, for the past week or so I have been feeling so uninspired. I mean, aside from busting out my grill for the 4th, I have been at a loss. It was in strolling through the grocery aisles, grumbling to myself, that I came across the frozen aisle. Hot Pockets. Something so simple and convenient and packed with preservatives that I’d rather not have.
So I set out to make my own.
I have my own preferred ways to make this recipe, like making my own puff pastry (recipe here) and slow cooking my chicken. Obviously, you can bake the chicken or use store-bought puff pastry. Insert Ina Garten joke… (If you don’t have time to travel to Madagascar and pick your own vanilla beans, store-bought is fine. HAHA) But, anyway, I really enjoy making these homemade hot pockets because you can fill them with your favorite ingredients. Mini meatballs and marinara; ham, cheese and a little bit of mustard; chicken, pico de gallo and monterey jack cheese – you name it!
I haven’t actually attempted to freeze and reheat these, but I don’t see why it can’t be done. Try prepping it until you brush on the egg wash, freeze them raw, and then bake when you’re ready. I wouldn’t try to freeze these longer than 3 months though. If anyone tries it, please let me know how it turns out!
Until next time. x
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Copy Cat Hot Pockets
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Copycat Pesto Chicken Hot Pockets are an excellent alternative to the store bought version. Use your own puff pastry or the recipe included and swap the ingredients to make it your own!
Ingredients
For The Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 packet of ranch seasoning
- 1 c. prepared basil pesto
- 4 c. chicken broth, or enough to cover the chicken
For Assembly
- 2 sheets prepared puff pastry, or 1 package store bought
- 1/2 c. prepared basil pesto
- 2 plum tomatoes, diced
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 c. shredded parmesan or asiago cheese
- flour, for dusting
Instructions
To Prepare the Chicken:
- Place the chicken breasts, ranch packet and pesto in the slow cooker and add the broth until it covers (or mostly covers) the chicken.
- Cook on low for 8 hours (4 hours on high).
- When done, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred, roughly, with a fork.
To Assemble the Hot Pocket
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Thaw the puff pastry according to package instructions, making sure that it is soft enough to work with but still mostly frozen. If it thaws too much, it will not rise properly.
- Lightly flour your work surface, then roll each sheet of pastry out to about a 14 inch square. Cut into thirds vertically, then slice each third in half, leaving 6 pieces of pastry per sheet.
- Place about a 1/4 c of the shredded chicken, 2 TB of pesto, tomato, and 2oz of mozarella (more or less, to your cheesy preference) on 6 slices of pastry (3 per sheet). Make sure to leave enough room around the sides to press together.
- Take the excess pastry slices (the tops) and gently pull them in each direction. You’ll need it to be slightly bigger than the bottom in order to cover it properly. Brush the beaten egg around each side of your cheesy chicken tower, then lay the top pastry over it and seal each side either by pressing with your fingers or a fork, thus making a “pocket.”
- Transfer each pocket to a parchment-lined sheet pan, slice a small opening in each top so steam can escape, then brush the tops with egg and sprinkle the shredded parmesan or asiago.
- Bake at 425°F until the tops begin to puff up and brown, about 10 minutes. Then reduce to 375°F and continue cooking until lightly browned and heated throughout, about 15-20 minutes.
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This post was originally published June 6, 2016.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
i love hot pockets! never thought to make them myself. love the pesto addition too. Xx
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry says
Looks like a convenient and nicer alternative to the shop bought pasties.
Sarah says
Thank you!
Noel says
I understand your frustration with cooking … I tend to make the same set of meals and I get bored with them. This is a great way to make hot pockets at home. I’ve used croissant dough, not puff pastry. I’ll bet the puff pastry makes the meal seem fancier! It certainly is lighter.
Sarah says
I much prefer the texture of puff pastry to croissant dough. I find it too soft and chewy. Puff pastry does also make it fancier. Haha! Thank you for the kind words!
Amanda says
Ok – you’ve done it! You;ve inspired me to make these!! YES! I know what you mean – I get “bored” with the same old stuff and packaged food…I cant read half the ingredients so I try to make my own. And who doesnt love a hot pocket? I cant wait to try these! Thanks for the recipe!
Sarah says
I’m glad others understand my frustration. It’s like being in a house full of food and nothing to cook! Let me know how it turns out. Thanks for stopping by, Amanda!
Lisa | Garlic + Zest says
My daughter showed me a photo on her Facebook Feed of Ina Garten dressed in Halloween garb. The caption read: If you can’t summon the flames directly from hell, store-bought is fine! I howled! I think that’s how she thinks of me! And she would absolutely love your hot pockets!
Sarah says
I saw that too!! Great minds! 🙂
nicole says
I love Hot Pockets but can’t justify buying them because of how processed they are — thanks for sharing a healthy version!!! These look delicious 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Sarah says
Same here! Thanks for stopping by!