Chicken puff pastry or simply chicken puffs are the ultimate party appetizer. Crispy, savory, and oh-so-delicious, these puffs are made with cooked, shredded chicken and cheese that's encased in butter pastry circles and baked until they become golden-brown and flaky. Learn how to create these beauties with this easy-to-follow recipe.
Two more chicken appetizers that are total hits at a party are chicken malai tikka and chicken 65.
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Why make chicken puff pastry?
If you are from the Indian subcontinent, I can just bet that you have a few fond memories of eating these chicken puff patties as they are also popularly called, at your local bakery or while visiting someone. And if you're not from that part of the world, that's okay too! I can bet you will enjoy having this snack... sans the memories, of course!
This is my take on the ever-popular chicken puffs. Traditionally cheese is not added to the puffs, and the emphasis is more on a curry-style, spicy chicken filling, but I find this cheesy version more satisfying and layered.
Looking for more chicken snacks? Try chicken bread, chicken pakora, and chicken sandwiches.
🥘 Ingredients
Note: exact amounts are mentioned in the recipe card further down.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken - I used two small chicken breasts for the meat.
- Puff Pastry - Since I live in Canada, I bought a pack of President's Choice 10" X 10" butter puff pastry (two sheets in one pack). You can use any brand, but make sure it is puff pastry and not phyllo pastry.
- Chilli flakes - If making for kids or even adults who find chilli flakes too hot, either reduce the quantity by half or omit altogether.
- Butter - unsalted is better for this recipe.
- Cheddar Cheese - I took a short-cut and bought pre-grated cheese that comes in a packet. but you can also buy a block and grate it if you so wish.
How to cook the chicken
- Cut two small chicken breasts into medium-sized cubes and put them in a sauce pan of water that just covers it.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat.
- Cook until the chicken is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed into the chicken. It's juicier this way compared to when you drain the excess water.
- Alternatively, you can also use your instant pot, if you have one, to cook the chicken breasts.
- Once the chicken has cooled slightly, shred it with two forks or put it in a food processor to shred it. Be careful not to shred it too fine. You want shredded chicken, not a paste.
How to make the chicken filling
- Place a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat and melt the butter. Add the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring all the time (Picture 1).
- Lower the heat and add the milk, a little bit at a time, to get a smooth sauce. Whisk this mixture continuously so that no lumps are formed. Also, add the salt and powdered spices (Picture 2).
- Finally, add the chicken and grated cheese and switch off the heat. Stir the mixture vigorously until most of the liquid has evaporated, and it becomes thick (Picture 3).
- When the mixture cools down, spoon it out in a bowl, cover it with cling foil, and keep it in the fridge for an hour or so. A thick and cold filling when you're assembling the puffs is highly desirable (Picture 4).
How to make the chicken puffs
Before you assemble the chicken puffs, make the egg wash and preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit. Then proceed with the rest of the steps.
To make the egg wash, break an egg in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons milk. Whisk for a minute or until you get a smooth mix.
- Unroll the pastry sheet onto a floured surface or a floured baking tray. Take a 4” cookie cutter and flour one edge so you get a clean cut. Then press the cutter firmly into the pastry sheet to get a circle. Repeat.
- When you can’t cut any more circles, peel off the rest of the dough, leaving the circles intact. Knead the dough lightly and roll it out again to get more circles. You can get a few more circles of dough this way, and it avoids wastage (Pictures 1 and 2).
- Using an icecream scoop or large spoon, fill in the centres of the circles with the chicken filling. Don’t overfill (Picture 3).
- Place the extra circles on top of the bottom ones, press down, and pinch them together with your fingers to close them (Picture 4).
- Place the baking tray in the middle rack of your preheated oven. Set the timer to 25 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, remove the baking tray and allow the puffs to cool down slightly. Remove them with a blunt knife onto a platter and serve warm with a dip of your choice. I like them best with ketchup!
💭 Top Tips
Do keep the cooked filling in the fridge for an hour at least before using it. This will ensure that the filling thickens up further (you don't want a runny filling), and that it is cold. You want a cold and thick mixture to fill the pastry with.
If the pastry sheets are frozen, remove them from the freezer and keep them in the fridge to thaw. Take them out of the fridge only when you are ready to use them.
Note: If the pastry sheets are not completely thawed, you won't be able to roll them out, and they might break. And if they are at room temperature because you left them on the countertop for too long, they will become too soft to work with! When you are ready to use them, they should be thawed, but still quite cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs are commonly used for chicken puff pastry. They are typically diced or shredded for the filling.
To prevent soggy pastry, make sure your chicken filling is not too watery. You can achieve the perfect consistency by cooking it until all the liquid has evaporated and then sticking it in the refrigerator for an hour or two.
Popular variations include chicken and mushroom puff pastry, chicken and spinach puff pastry, and chicken curry puff pastry. The fillings can be customized to your liking.
Leftover chicken puff pastry can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, place it in the oven at a low temperature to maintain its crispiness.
More Snack Recipes
You can also check out the complete collection of snacks and appetizers on the blog if you are looking for more recipes.
Tried this recipe? Please consider giving it a star rating and a comment below. If you're on Instagram, feel free to tag me so I can see your gem. I'd love to hear from you! Thank you:)
📖 Recipe
Chicken Puff Pastry
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 skillet
- 1 cookie cutter 4"
- 1 Baking Tray
- 1 small ice cream scoop or tablespoon
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts small
- 2 cups water
- 3 tbsp butter unsalted
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ¾ tbsp salt
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- ½ cup cheddar cheese grated
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 sheets butter puff pastry 10" X 10"
Instructions
Chicken
- Cut two small chicken breasts into medium-sized cubes and put them in a sauce pan of water that just covers it.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat.
- Cook until the chicken is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed into the chicken.
- Once the chicken has cooled slightly, shred it with two forks or put it in a food processor to shred it. Be careful not to shred it too fine.
Chicken Filling
- Place a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat and melt the butter.
- Add the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring all the time.
- Lower the heat and add the milk, a little bit at a time, to get a smooth sauce. Whisk this mixture continuously so that no lumps are formed.
- Add the salt, chilli flakes, garlic powder, and ground black pepper.
- Add the chicken and grated cheese and switch off the heat. Stir the mixture vigorously until most of the liquid has evaporated, and it becomes thick.
- When the mixture cools down, spoon it out in a bowl, cover it with cling foil, and keep it in the fridge for an hour.
Egg Wash
- Break the egg in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons milk. Whisk for a minute or until you get a smooth mix.
Chicken Puffs
- Preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit.
- Unroll the pastry sheet onto a floured surface or a floured baking tray. Take a 4” cookie cutter and flour one edge so you get a clean cut. Then press the cutter firmly into the pastry sheet to form a circle. Repeat until you can't press any more circles.
- Peel off the rest of the dough, leaving the circles intact. Knead the dough lightly and roll it out again to press out more circles.
- Using an icecream scoop or large spoon, fill in the centres of the circles with the chicken filling. Don’t overfill.
- Place the extra circles on top of the bottom ones, press down, and pinch them together with your fingers to close them.
- Brush lightly with the egg wash.
- Place the baking tray in the middle rack of your preheated oven. Set the timer to 25 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, remove the baking tray and allow the puffs to cool down slightly. Remove them with a blunt knife onto a platter and serve warm with a dip of your choice.
Notes
- The consistency of the chicken filling should be thick and not runny.
- When assembling the puffs, make sure the chicken filling is cold.
- The pastry, likewise, should be cold but completely thawed when you start assembling the puffs. If you find that the pastry is getting warm while you're working with it, stick it back in the fridge for a few minutes before resuming.
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