Crack Chicken Pastry Puffs Plain Chicken Food

CHICKEN IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 430 degrees F.
• Combine cheese, basil, garlic, salt and pepper in processor until smooth and basil is finely chopped.
• Unfold both pieces of pastry carefully.
• Roll out on lightly-floured surface to 14 x 10 inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut in half crosswise into 7 x 10 inch rectangle; repeat with second sheet of pastry.
• Spread ¼ of cheese mixture lengthwise, in approximate size of chicken breast, across center of each rectangle.
• Place chicken breast over, skinned side down.
• Lift long sides of pastry to meet in center over top of chicken; pinch overlap and short ends to enclose chicken snuggly.
• Trim away excess pastry leaving pinched overlap.
• Arrange seam side down, 2 inches apart, on a greased baking sheet; brush generously with beaten egg.
• Bake until puffed and golden and chicken is cooked through, 18-22 minutes.
• Note: Using Boursin Cheese in this recipe in place of the cream cheese is very nice, too.

CHICKEN WELLINGTON (PUFF PASTRY-WRAPPED CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Season the chicken breast with seasoning salt and pepper on all sides.
• Heat butter and oil in a skillet.
• Brown the breasts on all sides until almost completely cooked through; transfer to a plate.
• To the same skillet add in onions, garlic and sliced mushrooms; saute until the mushrooms lose their moisture and the onions are tender.
• Stir in parsley.
• On a floured surface, roll out each puff pastry sheet to a 14-inch square.
• Cut into four even 7-inch squares (you should have 8 squares total).
• Place each breast over each puff pastry square.
• Set oven to 375 degrees.
• In a small bowl combine the softened cream cheese with mustard, then spread over EACH breast.
• Then top with about 2-3 tablespoons mushroom/onion mixture.
• Brush the edges of each pastry square with water.
• Wrap pastry around the chicken breast, pressing edges to seal tightly.
• Place seam-side down on greased baking sheets.
• Brush the tops with egg wash.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
• Serve with mushroom sauce over the Wellington or on the side of the plate.
• Delicious!

BAKED CHICKEN CURRY PUFFS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C (fan-forced) or 200 C conventional.
• Add the potatoes to a pot of boiling water and cook until just soft. Drain and set aside.
• In the meantime, toast the first 3 spices (cloves, peppercorns, cardamon) in a medium size saucepan over a medium heat, until just beginning to smoke and becoming aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside in bowl,
• Add the next 2 spices (cinammon and chilies), and repeat toasting instructions. Remove and add to same bowl as the other toasted spices.
• Add the last 4 spices (coriander, cumin, fennel and tumeric powder) and repeat toasting. Remove and add to same bowl as the other toasted spices.
• When the spices have cooled, grind with either a mortar and pestle, or in coffee grinder. (Note: I like my spice mix fine, so after grinding in mortar and pestle, I sieve the mixture using a fine net sieve).
• Set the spice mixture aside (when cooled, store in a jar).
• Add a bit of spray oil to the saucepan pan, add the chicken and cook until browned all over and cooked through. Remove and add to a medoim-sized bowl.
• Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the spice mix to the chicken.
• If needed, add a bit more oil to the pan, and cook the onion until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
• Return the chicken and spice mix, and the drained potatoes to the saucepan.
• Cook for a further minutes until all ingredients have mixed in together.
• Add in the sugar and salt, and stir.
• Remove from pan, and add back into the medium bowl. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
• Thaw out the puff pastry sheets, and cut each sheet into 9 squares.
• When the mixture has cooled a little, add a heaped teaspoon into the centre of one the pastry square.
• Fold square in half, and pinch edges together to form a triangle shape.
• Place triangles on an oven tray, and spray with oil.
• Cook for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

CHICKEN CREAM CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Blend all ingredients EXCEPT chicken and croutons in a mixing bowl, reserving a tablespoon of melted butter for the tops. Add warm cooked chicken. Separate crescent rolls into squares (2 pre-cut rolls make one shell), pushing together the seams. Put a tablespoon of chicken mix in the middle, bring opposite corners of the roll together, twisting the top and pinching the seams. Brush tops with warm melted butter, top with crouton mix. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is done and the tops are golden brown.

CREAMED CHICKEN IN PUFF PASTRY SHELLS

Steps:

• Braise chicken in chicken broth until cooked (about 20-30 minutes). Cut into cubes.
• Strain broth and set aside.
• Bake pastry shells according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, saute the mushrooms, green pepper and broccoli in butter until tender; sprinkle with flour.
• Gradually stir in milk and about 1 cup of the reserved broth until blended.
• Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
• Add the pimientos, paprika, chicken, salt and pepper.
• Cook and stir until heated through.
• Spoon into pastry shells.

CREAMY CHICKEN PUFFS

Steps:

• Trim the chicken into even-sized pieces, roughly 1/2 inch (1 cm) squares.
• Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan and fry the chopped onion over a medium heat until it has turned pale gold about 4 minutes.
• Using a draining spoon, remove it to a plate.
• Turn the heat up to high and add the strips of bacon and fry these, tossing them around a few times, for about 4 minutes until they are really crisp.
• Transfer the bacon to join the onion on a plate and start to fry the chicken in the bacon fat, for about 2 minutes.
• Return the onion and bacon to the saucepan.
• Using a wooden spoon, and keeping the heat at medium, sprinkle in the flour and stir it in to soak up all the juices.
• Add the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring as you add until all the stock has been incorporated.
• As it comes to simmer, it will have thickened to a creamy sauce.
• Add the mushrooms, season well and then let it simmer at the lowest possible heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes, giving it a stir from time to time.
• Finally, stir in the crème fraîche and parsley, taste to check the seasoning and then leave it aside until it is completely cooled (preferably chilled).
• This can be done well ahead of time, but when you want to make the puffs, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).
• Allow the pastry to come to room temperature?
• this will take about 10 minutes?
• then carefully unroll the sheet of pastry.
• Roll pastry to approx 3mm thickness and then cut out 10cm (4inch) circles from the pastry.
• Place a spoonful of filling into the center of the circles.
• Brush the edges with the beaten egg yolk, and fold in half and pinch the seam.
• Before cooking, brush the whole lot thickly with a beaten egg yolk.
• They will need to go on to a greased baking sheet and bake on a high shelf in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until they are a rich golden brown.

PUFF PASTRY CHICKEN POCKETS

Steps:

• Cut a lengthwise slit in every chicken breast to within a 1/2 inch of the the other side, open so they lay flat.
• Cover each chicken breast with plastic wrap; pound to 1/8 inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
• Stir half of the thyme into each carton of cream cheese and set aside.
• Place spinach leaves over chicken breasts.
• Spoon 2 Tbs. of the cream cheese mixture down the center of each chicken breast.
• Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the cream cheese and lightly press so that they stick.
• Roll up the chicken breasts to cover the filling and tuck in the ends.
• Unroll the puff pastry; cut into 8 even portions. Roll each into an 8-in.x7-in. rectangle.
• Combine egg and cold water; brush over edges of pastry.
• Place chicken at one short end; roll up tightly and tuck in ends as you go.
• Place pockets on a greased cookie sheet. Brush them with remaining egg and water mixture, and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.