Barbecued Chicken "Cinnamon" Rolls

Don't worry, there's no cinnamon in these savory rolls! I just borrowed the cinnamon roll concept: instead of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, I filled the dough with shredded barbecued chicken; instead of icing, I used gooey mozzarella cheese. And, since I used store-bought bread dough, this amazing meal was a snap to prepare.

About the bread dough: I used Rhodes frozen bread dough - each loaf is one pound and I thawed it according to the package directions before creating the rolls. You can use any refrigerated or frozen dough you want (even pizza shop dough works).

About the chicken: Since the recipe calls for cooked chicken, I poached chicken breasts (about 8 ounces total) and then shredded them. Then, I simmered the shredded chicken in store-bought barbecue sauce. If you want, you can use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken instead - you'll need about 2 1/2 cups total.

Want to prep ahead? No problem. Assemble the rolls as directed, cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 24 hours. Pull the pan from the refrigerator and remove the plastic about 30 minutes before baking.

Barbecued Chicken "Cinnamon" Rolls

Cooking spray
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces total)
1 cup store-bought barbecued sauce, or more if desired
1 loaf refrigerated or frozen bread dough (1 pound), thawed if frozen
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Spray the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
Place the chicken in a medium saucepan and pour over enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and poach for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Drain and, when the chicken is cool enough to handle, use 2 forks to shred it. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of shredded chicken (a little more or less is fine).

Place the chicken in a medium skillet and add the barbecue sauce. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently to prevent splattering. Remove the pan from the heat.

Roll the dough out into a 9x14-inch rectangle. Spread the chicken all over the dough.

Starting from the longer side, roll up the dough jellyroll-style.

Using a sharp knife, slice the roll crosswise into 8 equal slices. Arrange the slices in the bottom of the prepared pan (1 in the middle and the rest around the outside).

Let sit for 30 minutes, until the dough rises (it will fill the empty space).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Bake the rolls for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and top with the cheese.

Return the pan to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes, until the cheese melts.

Serves 4-6