Pulled Chicken and Cheddar Stuffed Rolls

My mouth is watering just looking at the photos. There is just something about meat and cheese that is so satisfying. 

I have a mock trial competition this Friday, and I am so nervous and excited! It's the regional competition. I never thought my freshman year in mock trial that we could ever make it this far, and here I am as a senior going to regionals. So cool!

"All At Once" The Fray

Also, you can saute peppers and onions and add it to the pulled chicken. So good!!

Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Ingredients

• For the pretzel roll dough:
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 tsp (1 package) yeast
• 1 cup warmed milk (I used 2%)
• 2 Tbsp softened butter (I used Smart Balance)
• 4 1/2-4 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• For the filling:
• ~1lb shredded chicken (about 3 generous cups)
• 4 oz cheddar, sliced and cut into 18 chunks
• 1/2 cup HEB Texas-style Barbecue Sauce
• 2 Tbsp honey
• For boiling and finishing:
• 2 quarts water
• 4 Tbsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 2 Tbsp honey whisked with 1 Tbsp water

Directions

1. In your mixer bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water and let proof for 10 minutes.
2. Add the milk, softened butter, 4.5 cups of flour, and salt; knead for ~5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky and might not completely come off the bottom of the bowl. If overly sticky, add 1-2 Tbsp of extra flour at a time.
3. Cover and let rise for an hour, or until doubled.
4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly oil.
5. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and divide into 18 balls (a scale makes this easy to do in 2-oz portions). Cover with a light towel and prep the filling and boil.
6. Place the pulled pork and red onion in a large bowl.
7. Whisk together the honey and bbq sauce and pour over top of the pulled chicken, tossing to mix thoroughly.
8. Keeping your surface lightly floured to prevent sticking, flatten your dough ball, top with a chunk of cheddar and a heaping small spoonful of pulled chicken (it might take you 1-2 rolls to figure out the perfect sized scoop of filling).
9. Pull the edges of the dough to the top, pinching and crimping the roll to prevent any leaks. Transfer the roll to the prepared baking sheets (9 each).
10. In a large pan, bring the water, baking soda, and salt to a boil.
11. Working with 4-5 rolls at a time, boil the rolls 30 seconds on each side, transfer to the baking sheet with a slotted spoon, and slash the top of the rolls 2-3 times with a very sharp knife (but don't cut too thick or your cheese will ooze out the top).
12. Bake the rolls for 18 minutes, glaze with the honey-water mixture, and then bake for an additional 5 minutes until golden brown.
13. Sprinkle with coarse salt and serve. Leftovers should be refrigerated.