Lebanese Shish Tawook Calzones
One day we were hosting a brick oven pizza night and my aunt shared a chicken filling that she makes for her fatayer. A combination of the traditional shish tawook sandwich infused into a pizza. I decided to turn this shish tawook pizza into a mini calzone that you can make as an appetizer, prepare for work lunches, or share at a party. It is garlicky, cheesy, and really filling, I bet it will become your go-to.
Recipe:
2 lbs Chicken Tender (cleaned with lemon and vinegar, cut into cubes)
Shish tawook marinade:
1 cup yellow onion, shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon greek yogurt
2 tablespoon neutral oil (canola or avocado oil)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp shish tawook spice (we purchase a premix from Lebanon or you can find one online here Shish Tawook Spice Blend )
1/2 cup mayo
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Directions:
Make dough according to recipe instructions and allow to rise.
Wash your chicken with a water bath in lemon and vinegar and then drain the water. Cut the chicken into cubes and place in a bowl.
To make the marinade: cut the onion and remove the skin off the onion, remove the skin off the garlic, and place onion and garlic in a blender or food processor, then add the yogurt, ketchup, oil, and spices into the blender. Blend on high speed until pureed.
Add the marinade to the chicken and marinate for at least 1 hour.
Place the chicken into a skillet and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat or until the chicken is browned.
Allow the chicken to cool. In the meantime, roll out the dough and using a circle cookie cutter, cut out dough circles.
In a bowl, add the crushed garlic, mayo, shish tawook chicken, and mozzarella cheese and mix well.
Add a spoon of chicken filling into a dough circle and close it into a half circle or calzone shape. Pinch the ends of the dough closed.
Place the calzones onto a baking sheet and brush some cooking oil on the calzones.
Preheat the oven to 450 F and bake the shish tawook calzones on the bottom rack for 10 minutes and then 10 minutes on the top rack of the oven. Broil for 5 minutes if not yet golden in color.
Remove and enjoy!
