We have all heard of chicken tikka and tikka masala. Have you eaten or tried making chicken tikka puffs?
Boneless pieces of chicken breasts are marinated with an aromatic yogurt spice paste and cooked with onions. The tikka filling is enclosed in puff pastry to create mouth-watering puffs that can be eaten as a snack or served as an appetizer. These puffs are unique, outstanding and memorable.
The filling can be prepared ahead or leftover chicken tikka can be used. With frozen puff pastry from the store, making these puffs at home is a breeze.
Defrost puff pastry in the refrigerator and work with it when it is cold. Roll it on a lightly floured surface. The filling should be at room temperature and moist (not watery). If warm with moisture, the puffs will turn soggy. For a beautiful shiny glaze, brush puffs with egg wash before baking. The oven has to be preheated at the right temperature before the puffs can be baked. Intense heat from the oven turns the moisture in the dough into steam. The steam forces the layers of dough to separate, rise and puff up before evaporating into the oven.
Boneless pieces of chicken breasts are marinated with an aromatic yogurt spice paste and cooked with onions. The tikka filling is enclosed in puff pastry to create mouth-watering puffs that can be eaten as a snack or served as an appetizer. These puffs are unique, outstanding and memorable.
The filling can be prepared ahead or leftover chicken tikka can be used. With frozen puff pastry from the store, making these puffs at home is a breeze.
Defrost puff pastry in the refrigerator and work with it when it is cold. Roll it on a lightly floured surface. The filling should be at room temperature and moist (not watery). If warm with moisture, the puffs will turn soggy. For a beautiful shiny glaze, brush puffs with egg wash before baking. The oven has to be preheated at the right temperature before the puffs can be baked. Intense heat from the oven turns the moisture in the dough into steam. The steam forces the layers of dough to separate, rise and puff up before evaporating into the oven.
Chicken Tikka Puffs
(Makes 8)
Filling
Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 large onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Spice Marinade
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon dried mint (optional)
2 teaspoons garam masala powder
2 large cloves of garlic (grated)
1/2” piece of ginger (grated)
juice of one lemon
a pinch of red food colour
1/2 cup yogurt
salt
Method:
Wash and cut boneless chicken breasts into small pieces.
Make a marinade of the above ingredients and rub it all over the chicken breasts. Cover and let them marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion till light brown in colour. Add the tomato paste and cook for few seconds. Then, stir in the marinated chicken pieces and add 1/4 cup water. Cover, cook on medium heat until chicken is tender and all the moisture completely absorbed. Check for seasoning and add salt. Set aside to cool.
Pastry
Ingredients:
1 box of Tenderflake puff pastry (397 gms containing two blocks - available in Canada) or frozen puff pastry sheets (defrosted before use)
1 egg (lightly beaten for egg wash)
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each block of puff pastry into 9” x 9” square. Cut this large square into 4 equal squares. Put spoonfuls of filling in each. Brush edges with egg, bring the outer corner to the centre and seal. With the tines of a fork, mark along the edge of the pastry. Place each pastry puff in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with egg wash and bake until puffed and brown. Serve warm.
Note:
(Makes 8)
Filling
Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 large onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Spice Marinade
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon dried mint (optional)
2 teaspoons garam masala powder
2 large cloves of garlic (grated)
1/2” piece of ginger (grated)
juice of one lemon
a pinch of red food colour
1/2 cup yogurt
salt
Method:
Wash and cut boneless chicken breasts into small pieces.
Make a marinade of the above ingredients and rub it all over the chicken breasts. Cover and let them marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion till light brown in colour. Add the tomato paste and cook for few seconds. Then, stir in the marinated chicken pieces and add 1/4 cup water. Cover, cook on medium heat until chicken is tender and all the moisture completely absorbed. Check for seasoning and add salt. Set aside to cool.
Pastry
Ingredients:
1 box of Tenderflake puff pastry (397 gms containing two blocks - available in Canada) or frozen puff pastry sheets (defrosted before use)
1 egg (lightly beaten for egg wash)
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each block of puff pastry into 9” x 9” square. Cut this large square into 4 equal squares. Put spoonfuls of filling in each. Brush edges with egg, bring the outer corner to the centre and seal. With the tines of a fork, mark along the edge of the pastry. Place each pastry puff in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with egg wash and bake until puffed and brown. Serve warm.
Note:
- Bake time varies with the brand, type, size of the oven. It should take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes for the pastry to puff and turn golden brown. Ensure that the oven is preheated at the indicated temperature before placing the baking sheet or else, the pastry won't puff and will be limp.
- Rolled out pastry can be cut into smaller squares or rectangles. The yield will be more than 8.
