Buffalo Chicken Hot Pockets

Steps

Chicken and Sauce

1. 1

   Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker. Add the garlic salt, smoked paprika, ranch seasoning, black pepper, tomato salsa, and diced onion. Cook for approximately 2–3 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred. If using rotisserie chicken, skip this cooking step and shred the meat instead.

   Start 3-hour timer
2. 2

   While the chicken is nearly finished, make the high-protein buffalo sauce. Add the cottage cheese, reduced-fat cream cheese, garlic salt, black pepper, onion powder, buffalo sauce, and fat-free milk to a blender.

3. 3

   Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the blender if needed.

4. 4

   Shred the cooked chicken while it is still warm, removing any bones, cartilage, or excess skin if necessary.

5. 5

   Add the blended buffalo sauce to the shredded chicken. Stir until the chicken is evenly coated.

6. 6

   Add the mozzarella and chopped chives to the chicken mixture. Mix until the filling is cohesive and the cheese and herbs are distributed throughout.

Dough and Assembly

7. 7

   Make the dough by combining the self-rising flour, Greek yogurt, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Mix with your hands until a clumpy dough forms.

8. 8

   Knead the dough for a few minutes until it becomes smooth. Divide it into 10 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball.

9. 9

   Roll each dough ball out very thin on a lightly floured surface. Keep the portions as evenly sized as possible so the hot pockets cook uniformly.

10. 10

    Place a portion of the buffalo chicken filling on the center of each rolled dough piece, adding mozzarella as needed during assembly. Leave a border around the edge so it can be sealed.

11. 11

    Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges firmly together to seal each hot pocket. Check for gaps, since an incomplete seal can allow the filling to escape while toasting.

12. 12

    Heat a skillet or flat pan over medium heat. Toast the hot pockets in the pan, turning as needed, until the dough is golden brown and cooked through and the filling is hot.

13. 13

    Serve immediately, or allow the hot pockets to cool before wrapping them for storage.

Freezing and Reheating

14. 14

    To freeze, wrap each cooled hot pocket in aluminum foil or place it in an airtight freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.

15. 15

    To reheat from frozen, wrap one hot pocket in a wet paper towel and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 3–4 minutes, or until heated through. For a crisp exterior, toast it in a pan or air fryer for a few additional minutes.

    Start 4-minute timer