Chicken Pesto Calzone

½ package of fresh prepared pizza dough (or make your own)

¼ cup fresh prepared pesto (or make your own)

Flour

2 chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded to even thickness

¾ cup sliced mushrooms

1 onion, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Marinara sauce (for dipping)

Preheat an oven to 450 degrees with a pizza stone on the lowest rack for at least 30 minutes.

Sauté the onions in olive oil until they start to turn golden, then add the mushrooms. Cook until they have released their liquid, then set aside to cool. Cut the chicken breasts into two thin pieces, pounding the larger ends to even thickness. Season with salt and pepper and pan sear in olive oil until evenly browned and cooked through, then set aside to cool When cool cut the chicken into long strips and combine with the mushrooms, onions, and pesto. Toss to evenly coat everything.

Bring the pizza dough to room temp and flour a countertop or cutting board. Use half of the dough, working and stretching it until it is about 10 inches long and at least 8 inches wide. Put about a cup to a cup and a half of the chicken pesto mixture in the middle, top with the cheese, and quickly and gently pull one side of the dough over the other into a half moon, crimping the dough all the way around to make sure there are no leaks. Brush the top of the dough lightly with olive oil. Carefully transfer the calzone to a floured pizza peel, cut three slashes in the top of the dough to allow steam to escape, then transfer to the preheated pizza stone. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.