Chicken Cordon Bleu Calzones

I adapted this recipe from Taste of Home's Best of 10 Years Cookbook.   This is one of my most-used cookbooks; I have used many of the recipes.  This dish has been one of our family's favorites.  It's fancy enough for company, and you can make it ahead and freeze it.  Less time in the kitchen, more time with guests!  I will admit that it is a little more prep time in this one than most of the recipes I post, but it is not hard.  Give it a try--I know you will think it's worth it!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Calzones

Four 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 cups milk
1 Tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from 17 1/4 ounce package)
4 thin slices deli ham
4 slices porvolone cheese

Heat oven to 350.  Place chicken breasts in 9 by 13 inch pan.  Cover with water.  Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes or until juices run clear.   Remove to a plate and let cool.  (I put in refrigerator to speed the process.)  Meanwhile, melt butter in small saucepan.  Mix cornstarch with milk and add to pan with seasonings.  Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy.  Place puff pastry on cutting board and roll out slightly.  (Increase area by one inch each direction.)  Cut into four equal rectangles.  Place a piece of chicken on top of each rectangle.  Follow with 1 - 2 tablespoons sauce, ham, and then cheese.  Fold corners in and pinch to seal (pictured below.)  Place on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees 15 - 20 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown. 

To store in freezer, wrap uncooked calzone in press and seal and place in ziploc bag.  To bake, do not thaw first.  Bake at 400 degrees 25 - 30 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown.

I use a small whisk with the sauce to mix it up well.  The sauce is much more than you will need for one recipe--I freeze the extra and use it for the next time.

After chicken is cooked, place on plate and put in fridge of freezer to speed the cooling process.  You don't want to put hot chicken on the puff pastry--it will turn to goo!

I used a roller to flatten out the puff pastry a small amount--about one inch more.  Here are all the steps for assembling the calzones in one picture--sauce, ham, cheese.  Then fold the corners together and pinch.  Fold the sides up as much as you can.  Seal the folds well so they will not come undone when baking.

Ready to go in the oven!

Calzones are done when the puff pastry is golden brown.  I love how the cheese gets all toasty!  Hope you enjoy this one!