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Chicken dinner ideas: These simple Dijon chicken puff pastries feel fancy and take minutes to prepare

Chicken dinner ideas you'll love: Dijon chicken puff pastry

Chicken puff pastry
Lindsay Parrill/The Manual

We love a recipe that feels special but is deceptively simple to prepare. Those recipes that bring all of the flavor, all of the comfort, and all of the sophistication to the table, with none of the stress or complicated cooking techniques. Recipes that are impressive enough for the in-laws, but simple enough to enjoy alone in front of the TV. Chicken dinner ideas that are refreshingly unique and exciting. This recipe for Dijon chicken puff pastries is one of those gems.

These delicious puff pastries cleverly utilize two ingredients that make our lives so much simpler – store-bought rotisserie chicken, and boxed, frozen puff pastry. It should be said that roasting one’s own chicken and creating the perfect scratch-made puff pastry recipe are two skills that are to be respected, to be sure. But if we’re honest, no one is going to know you cut these corners, so go ahead and take all of the credit. Using these two little hacks will provide you with an absolutely delicious, crispy, and creamy dish that will have you going back for thirds.

In this dish, golden and flakey puff pastry is stuffed with a creamy chicken and asparagus filling that works for any meal. It’s perfect for brunch, served alongside fresh fruit and scrambled eggs, or for dinner, plated with a beautifully simple salad.

Chicken puff pastries
Lindsay Parrill/The Manual

Dijon chicken puff pastries recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
  • 2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, room temperature
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4-6 asparagus spears, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons bacon fat (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
  2. Unfold puff pastry sheets and roll just slightly to remove fold creases, place on baking sheets.
  3. Sautee onion in bacon fat over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add garlic and asparagus and continue to cook until vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized.
  4. While the vegetables are cooking, combine shredded chicken, cream cheese, and Dijon in a mixing bowl, stirring to thoroughly combine.
  5. Add onion mixture to the chicken mixture and mix well.
  6. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut each pastry square into 2 triangles, making 4 triangles total.
  7. Fill each pastry triangle with chicken and onion mixture, being careful not to overstuff.
  8. Fold triangles by bringing ends together to create a smaller triangle shape, securing the edges by crimping with a fork.
  9. Using the same fork, pierce the top of the dough a few times to create holes for steam to escape.
  10. Refrigerate until ready to bake or for at least 15 minutes to chill.
  11. Preheat oven to 400F.
  12. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and a splash of water, creating an egg wash.
  13. Brush each pastry with egg wash and bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.
  14. For individual portions, cut each baked pastry in half, creating 8 total.
  15. Serve warm with a side salad.

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Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
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