Caramelized Onion and BBQ Chicken Strombolis
So I have a little secret.
I have a disclosure for this post.
These photos you see here, while they were taken by me, they were totally inspired by Bev. You know Bev, right? You better know Bev because she is kind of awesome… and hilarious… and totally pregnant with two little what I am sure will be adorable twins. Twins that make her talk about diapers and cribs all day long, which in my opinion is the cutest thing ever.
Her posts are most likely going to make your morning, trust me on this one. The girl is a bad ass cook and she’ll make you laugh while doing it too!
Here’s the thing, I have a love hate relationship with food photography.
I love it when the food wants to look good and my camera is acting nice, but when the food just looks plain ugly and my camera decides to freak on me I kind of hate it.
To be honest, I mostly love it, but in no way do I think of myself as a food photographer. Like no way, I am just not there.
So when I am having a hard time shooting a particular food I grab my computer and start googling. I google something similar to the food I am photographing and then pray. Pray that there is a pretty photo to inspire a better way for me to style the day’s food to give it just what I am looking for, even though I may not know what that is yet.
Occasionally I come up totally flat, which sometimes ends up fine. I simply proceed to spend the next hour styling my shoot until it looks right and I love the photos, but I just will not stop until the photos are to my liking. Which can really be a huge time suck, but to me it is worth it. I have come to really appreciate a good photo!
Anyway, these cute little strombolis were giving me a rough time. So I googled and came up with notta, but then I remembered these strombolis and Bev’s gorgeous photos. Thanks God.
Or better yet, thank Bev! Thank you for inspiring these photos!
Ok, disclosure over.
On to the food!
These strombolis are so good.
Caramelized onions people. Yeah, they make everything that much better. They are buttery, sweet and just so good. Plus, they remind me of fall, french onion soup, football and comfort food. Which is a little weird considering I did not grow up with onions at all and only had french onion soup for the first time when I made it a year ago, but now that’s pretty much all my brain thinks about is food, food combos and food seasons. Caramelized onions just scream comfort and fall to me.
Actually, caramelized anything screams fall to me. There has been a whole lot of caramelizing going on over here and it’s so good!
I made these personal size for two reasons.
One, personal anything is always more fun and two, I have never had any luck with a giant stromboli. The filling always spills out and the inside never gets properly cooked. In the end it just turns into one giant lump of cheese. Although, no one complains, they still taste good, but these personal ones are a little easier to work with in my opinion.
Oh and did I mention they are also stuffed with Gouda cheese? Because they are, and it is kind of insane.
Love it.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Caramelized Onion + BBQ Chicken and Gouda Cheese Strombolis
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: bbq chicken, BBQ sauce, caramalised onion
Buttery, sweet and bursting with flavour
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 cup warm water 100-105 degrees
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons honey divided
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Toppings
- 1 vidalia onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small head broccoli chopped
- 1 large cooked chicken breast chopped or shredded, or 2 small
- 3/4 cup of [your favorite BBQ Sauce | https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-barbecue-sauce-just-like-sweet-baby-rays/] plus more for dipping
- 1 cup shredded gouda cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
-
To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine water, yeast and honey. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour and olive oil stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour into the dough, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. You can also do all the mixing and kneading in your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.
-
About 30 minutes before you are ready to roll out your pizza dough start the onions. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
-
Stir in the brown sugar and cook, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan frequently, until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the onions and place on a plate, set aside.
-
To the same pan add a drizzle of olive oil and the broccoli. Cook about 10 minutes or until the broccoli softens slightly. Remove from the heat.
-
Add the shredded or chopped chicken to a medium size bowl. Add about half of the bbq sauce and toss the chicken with the sauce.
-
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
-
Now grab the pizza dough and divide it into 4 balls (or 8 smaller balls for appetizer size). On a large floured work surface, roll out each pizza ball until you get about an 8-inch circle (or about a 6 inch circle for the appetizer size). Spread each circle with a little bit of BBQ sauce and then sprinkle with equal amounts of gouda and cheddar cheese. Top with equal amounts of the shredded BBQ chicken, broccoli, and then sprinkle with cilantro and parmesan. Tuck in the two sides of the dough and then roll up into a log, sealing the edges together by pinching the dough with your fingers. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, and continue until all 4 (or 8) are complete.
-
Brush the tops of the strombolis with the egg wash. Now take a sharp knife and cut about 3 slits in the top of the dough to create steam vents.
-
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 450, then reduce the heat to 375 and bake another 20 to 30 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and golden brown on top.
-
Serve with BBQ sauce for dipping.
I mean who could not?!
Would you believe I was caramelizing onions at this very moment?? They were meant for salad, but now I’m planning to keep some so I can make these strombolis with them. They look so awesome with bbq chicken, wow! Pinned 😀
Ha! No way!! That is awesome!!
Lady, you need to stop it! You’re an incredible food photographer (SO is BEV!)!!!! Now, these strombolis…what time can they be in New York today? xo
How about this, I have always wanted to visit New York, so I am thinking I will just hand deliver them. How is tomorrow, around noonish?
LOL! But I seriously with I could do that!
Thanks Ashley!
Your pics are BEAUTIFUL, girl! Don’t ever think otherwise 🙂 My mouth is watering at the site of these! Yum yum!
Thank you, Jamie!
I’ve never really thought of food photography in that way before. I usually just close my eyes and pray. Half the time, I get crap. But this idea of inspiration is pretty brilliant. As is the idea of tossing caramelized onions into a Stromboli. Caramelize onions make EVERYTHING better.
Hah! Thanks Kim! And yes, caramelized onions do make everything better!
Gorgeous, Tieghan! Beautiful food styling and photography, girl. Don’t doubt yourself for a single second. Caramelized onions with Gouda in Stromboli with BBQ sauce? OMG! Need…now! Do you serve take out? NOM! Thanks for sharing. Pinning!
Thank you, Stacy!! You are so sweet and thanks for pinning too!
Girl those are pretttttty photos! Better than mine! But you’re super sweet.
Now feed me.
Oh, if I could I so would!! LOL!!
These are gorgeous and now I’m craving them for breakfast. YUM!
Thanks Robyn!
I need to be better about looking for inspiration. I’m always in such a huge hurry with so little time I just snap the heck out of it. Haha
Thanks Carrian!
I love stromboli. Growing up in the Philly area we had stromboli a lot. These look great!
Thanks Norma! I bet those Strombolis were killer!
These sound so good and I like that you got some broccoli in there to keep things nice and healthy!
Thanks Kevin! I try and add a little green whenever possible!
You had me at bbq chicken – for real. Need this!
Thanks Rachel!
Tieghan, are you KIDDING me!?!?
1) It’s scary that we might share the same brain, because I would also say that “pretty much all my brain thinks about is food, food combos and food seasons.” Hmmmmm …
2) Your photos are killer-good! I feel your pain, though. Gretchen is the evil genius behind our blog’s food photos, and I feel her wrath when I make something not super-pretty like Edamame Hummus that she somehow has to make beautiful. (Ughhhh … sorry about that one, G!)
3) This recipe is unbelievable! Maybe you and Gretchen should hang out together since you are both, clearly, evil geniuses in your own rights! 😀 Pinning ASAP … wanna eat this NOW!
Haha! Thank you so much, Shelley!! You are so sweet and thanks for pinning!
Excuse me sista but you are totally a food photographer!! I die for your photos they always looks amazing 🙂 And I’m 100% down with this recipe, caramelized onions make me swoon.
You are too nice! Thank you!!
Oh and caramelized onions have the same effect on me!
Loooove these photos (Bev is one awesome photo inspire-r, for sure :)). And loooove this recipe — we are huge stromboli fans in this house but we haven’t made them in forever! Time to change that!
Thanks Stephanie!
Oh man, these sound heavenly. Perfect timing – I’ll make them for the next football game. 🙂
BTW – You’re photos turned out amazingly well. I really need to work on my food photo skills!
Thanks Tiff!
I agree, girl, personal sized is always best. It goes back to my childhood love of personal pan pizzas at Pizza Hut, where I thought I was a badass for getting my own little box of doughy pizza 🙂 Personal sized strombolis (with all that delicious caramelized onion!) are a huge, huge improvement on Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas, I assure you.
LOL! I remember those!! Love them!
Thanks Ruthy!
I LOVE me some Bev, and she’s definitely a great source of inspiration when it comes to food photos and writing! Your photos turned out great, so your inspiration-finding-sesh certainly worked out! These strombolis…there are no words. I want to shove a whole one in my mouth. End o story. 😉
Thanks Julia!! I wan that whole salad you posted today! INCREDIBLE! Love curried shrimp!
Holy cow…these look amazing! And I think your camera (and your eye) caught every little flavor and morsel perfectly.
Thank you so much, Dara!! That means so much coming from a pro like you!
My husband would go gaga over these!!!
Haha! I think all guys would!
I love strombolis! This combo is awesome and I’m all about BBQ flavors.
We tend to be our own worst critic, I’m the same way with my photos…hardly ever happy with them. I ALWAYS love your pictures. 🙂
Thanks Tina!! I am totally my own worst critic!
FEED ME!!! I adore anything with barbecue and chicken:)
Haha! Thanks Lauren! We live so close you would think we would actually have had a dinner together or something by now! LOL!
Soon!!
Seriously I have NO words for how amazing these look!!! 😀
Thanks Annie!
First, I can’t imagine you having an off day with your photos, they are always gorgeous.
Second, Bev rocks hard.
Third, so does this stromboli.
Trust me, I feel like they happen way to much!!
Yes, Bev rocks!
And thank you!
Love the way your photos turned out and I’m totally craving one of these now – major yes to the caramelized onions!
Thank Laura! I love caramelized onions!
Gorgeous. Loving that golden crust, lady.
Thank you so much, Shaina!
You crack me up! Your photos always look beautiful and the recipes are just amazing. Thanks for always posting something that looks so tasty. You remind my stomach that it is lunch time just by seeing you pics!
Ha! Thanks Chelsea!
You did good, Tieghan! we all have mental blocks and food photography is a learning curve. Especially when many of us have no formal education about it. The sauce on meat looks awesome!
Thank you so much!
I always liked such unique and easy at the same time dishes. I think it would be great to add some mushrooms into this dish. I think it is a good thing to cook when your guests are about to come.
Mmm! Mushrooms sound great! I am so adding them in next time!
I agree Bev is pretty much awesome. She cracks me up whenever I read her posts! I have the same issue with some food sometimes, I think how can that possibly ever look good. I get frustrated and google too. Sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn’t. It definitely worked well for you because these are gorgeous lady! And anything caramelized onion I am so in.
Thanks Des!!
So excited to have found your blog Tieghan! Ah, just read your feature over at Rachel’s blog and I immediately had to head over here. Gorgeous photos. Beautiful words. Love everything about the recipes, too!! Will be following you from now on! These strombolis look perfect, by the way! xx
Awe, thank you so much!! I am so happy to have you as a new reader! I hope I inspiring you to try some recipes!!
Thanks again!
The caramelized onions with the barbecue and that super golden crust just looks amazing!!
Thanks Julie!!
But honestly those caramels! Whoa! Talk about good looking!
You are hired! Hired to be my cook! I will pay you in sweets! 😉 These look awesome good!!!
Haha! DEAL!! When do I start? LOL!
Thanks Jocelyn!
Oh, I supposed I should disclose that googling image ideas it what I do too…almost every time. Mine never look exactly like the original, but it gives me an idea of where to start 😉
I made these late last night but my power went off right as I was about to roll them up and bake them! So I put everything in the fridge and went to bed and woke up extra early this morning to bake them for breakfast. Yum!
Oh my gosh!! LOL! I can’t believe you made these for breakfast! That is awesome! So happy you loved them. Thanks Claire!
Giiiiiirl, bbq chicken is my THANG. It’s my favorite everything–pizza, sammich, topping–you name it. And these strombolis are pretty much the greatest things I’ve laid my eyeballs on!
Haha! YES!! That makes me so happy!!
Thanks Hayley!
This Stromboli looks amazing, the combination of flavors, oh my! I’ll be trying this one.
Thanks Anne!
Just waiting for these to finish baking! They smell AMAZING, not nearly as pretty as yours, I kinda suck at folding them up, reminded me of homemade envelopes when my kids were young, the ends never quite met in the right places!! Couple questions, salt in the dough, add with flour? Onions and broccoli I threw on top of the chicken at the end? And how much Parmesan?? I used my imagination, and can’t wait to eat them!! Thank you, thank you for another fabulous recipe!! Keep taking those hikes, cos I love where your imagination goes!!!
Oh I am so sorry for the problems with the recipe! I will go and fix those now! You were right to just throw everything on the chicken and as for the parm, I never measure that so a handful or two was probably perfect! Thanks for letting me know about these missing instructions! Hope you love these and thanks for making them!
Oh what a FANTASTIC football food! I love Bev too 🙂 Seriously though, ALL of your photos are absolutely stunning. It is completely apparent as to how much time and effort you put in, I wish I had even half your talent, you’re amazing, both cooking and photographing! Theses Stromboli are no different. I want them in mah bellay!
Awe, wow! Thank you so much, Alain! These are the perfect football food and yes, Bev is awesome!! Oh and geez, are you kidding me? You are just are crazy talented! You recipes and photos are amazing!
OMG – these look incredible! I am going to cheat and use frozen bread dough for a quick dinner. 🙂
Thank you so much, Stephanie!!
Hi Tieghan! I absolutely LOVE your blog and think you are a fabulous photographer! In fact I’ve pinned many of your photos for my own photog inspiration 🙂 Quick question, I’m in the market for a new camera and was wondering what you use to shoot? Thanks and happy to have found you! xo
Hi Kelly!
Thank you so much! You are so sweet to pin my recipes! I use a Cannon 60D with a 50 mm macro lens. Hope that helps and thanks again!
Egg wash?
The egg was is just a beaten egg that you brush on the strombolis before baking.
Hope you give these a try!
I made them for dinner and now I want to keep eating more stromboli even though I feel like I may burst. It was delicious. Thank you.
Haha! Thanks so much! I am so happy you loved these!
I made this tonight but cheated and used Trader Joe’s premade pizza dough – very tasty!! Thank you for the recipe!!!
YAY! So happy you loved these. Thanks for reporting back!
Can these be frozen? I want to make them in advance for a weeknight dinner!
HI! I do think they can be frozen, but I have never tried it. I would freeze either before or after baking, but if you freeze before make sure to defrost the strombolis before baking. Let me know if you have any other questions and I hope you love these! Thanks!
Wow! These were incredible! I used spinach in place of the broccoli. Great recipe! Thank you !
These were so good! I changed a bit your recipe, because I don’t like onion at all (so I omitted it) and I replaced gouda and cheddar with fontina cheese. I used your BBQ sauce – I love your recipe and always have it in the fridge 🙂 Sure I will make these strombolis once more!
Hi there! Would I be able to make these with a store bought pizza dough? If so – how much do you think I would need?
Thank you!!! Absolutely love everything you make!
Hey Nika! Yes, store bought do will be great! I would use a 1-pound ball of dough. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!
What is the broccoli for? Does it go in, or is it for a side dish? There’s no mention of it after you cook it.
Thanks
Hey Carrie, the broccoli gets rolled with the chicken. Recipe fixed, so sorry about that. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan