A variation to the white creamy chicken puffs already on the website, wherein the filling here is spiced with curry powder. With both the frozen puff pastry and rotisserie chicken from the store, making these flaky parcels at home is easy. The filling can be made ahead, refrigerated and used within a couple of days. The outer crust is shaped in a muffin pan which encloses the filling and covered with a pastry disc. Baked in a hot oven until puffed and golden brown. Perfect tea time snack with a cup of hot tea or makes an elegant, impressive appetizer. Definitely, a family favourite and crowd-pleaser!!!
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, which forces the layers of dough to separate, rise and puff up before evaporating into the oven.
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, which forces the layers of dough to separate, rise and puff up before evaporating into the oven.
Curried Chicken Puffs
(Yields 16)
Filling
Ingredients:
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 large onion (chopped)
2 green chillies (chopped)
4 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
1/2-inch ginger (grated)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
few coriander leaves (chopped)
1/2 cup white flour
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup butter
salt
Method:
Melt butter in a saucepan and add onion, green chillies, garlic and ginger. Saute till onions are soft and translucent. Add the turmeric powder and curry powder, fry well. Stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Gradually add the chicken broth stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Let the sauce come to a boil. Then, mix in the shredded chicken, pepper powder and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, incorporate coriander leaves and allow filling to cool completely.
Pastry
Ingredients:
2 boxes of Tenderflake puff pastry (397 gms each - 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.
You will need a muffin pan. No need to grease the pan.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each block of puff pastry into 10” x 10” square. With a 4.5” and 2.5” round cutters, cut 18 circles of each size. Place the larger circle in the muffin pan and fill with a tablespoon or two of chicken filling. To seal, lightly apply egg wash on the outer edge of the cup. Cover with the smaller disc and brush top with egg wash. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.
Note
(Yields 16)
Filling
Ingredients:
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 large onion (chopped)
2 green chillies (chopped)
4 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
1/2-inch ginger (grated)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
few coriander leaves (chopped)
1/2 cup white flour
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup butter
salt
Method:
Melt butter in a saucepan and add onion, green chillies, garlic and ginger. Saute till onions are soft and translucent. Add the turmeric powder and curry powder, fry well. Stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Gradually add the chicken broth stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Let the sauce come to a boil. Then, mix in the shredded chicken, pepper powder and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, incorporate coriander leaves and allow filling to cool completely.
Pastry
Ingredients:
2 boxes of Tenderflake puff pastry (397 gms each - 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.
You will need a muffin pan. No need to grease the pan.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each block of puff pastry into 10” x 10” square. With a 4.5” and 2.5” round cutters, cut 18 circles of each size. Place the larger circle in the muffin pan and fill with a tablespoon or two of chicken filling. To seal, lightly apply egg wash on the outer edge of the cup. Cover with the smaller disc and brush top with egg wash. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.
Note
- Side scraps of the puff pastry can be gently kept over one other, pressed lightly, rolled and cut. Any extra puff pastry can be cut for additional small 2.5" discs. Apply egg wash and place discs on top of each covered puffs for extra height.
- Ensure that the oven is preheated at the indicated temperature before placing the muffin pan or else, the pastry won't puff and will be limp.
- Rotisserie chicken can be replaced with two fresh breasts. Wash and season with salt. Place in a pan with 1/2 cup water and a bay leaf. On medium heat, cook breasts, cool and shred into pieces.
- To prepare chicken stock, use 1 chicken backbone, trim off the fat and rinse. In a pan, add the backbone with 4 cups of water, 1 onion (chopped), 1 bay leaf, 1 carrot (chopped) and 2 celery stalks (chopped). Bring to a boil and then, simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the scum, bay leaf and remove the chicken backbone. Reserve stock.
- For white creamy filling chicken puff recipe click here.
