Strawberry Amaretto Chicken Peonies

So pretty! Lovely, little sweet strawberry chicken bites with Amaretto-flavored mascarpone cheese nestled in the petals of flower-like cups of phyllo! Would be well received at parties, brunches, luncheons and showers! A little time-consuming, but easy to make!

• Ready In: 2 mins
• Serves: 6-12
• Yields: 12 flower cups

Ingredients

• 20  sheets  athens phyllo dough, 1 package 9x14 20ct . sheets, thawed
• 4 -6  tablespoons butter, melted
• 8  ounces mascarpone, room temp
• 1  egg yolk
• 1  teaspoon amaretto liqueur
• 1  small boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1  egg white
• 1  tablespoon water
• 1⁄2 cup graham cracker crumbs, more if needed
• 1⁄4 cup  sugar-free strawberry jam
• 24  sliced almonds

Directions

1. Day one: Thaw one 9"x14" roll Athens phyllo dough (20 sheet roll)overnight in fridge (best recommended).
2. Cut chicken breast into 12 small pieces.
3. In small bowl, whisk egg white and water.
4. Toss chicken pieces in egg white mixture, then toss in graham cracker crumbs til lightly coated on all sides.
5. Place chicken pieces on parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or til done.
6. Remove, let cool, place in container and fridge til next day.
7. While chicken is baking, in small bowl mix well the mascarpone, egg yolk and Amaretto. Cover and fridge.
8. *Next day*, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini muffin pan (2" muffin-size).
9. Carefully unroll thawed phyllo sheets onto flat surface.
10. Separate in half making 2 stacks of 10 sheets each. Cover each with plastic wrap so it will not dry out.
11. Uncover one stack of sheets, and trim 1" off of short (9") side with sharp knife, and 2" off of long (14") side. Recover with plastic wrap and repeat with other stack of sheets.
12. Save strips of extra dough, wrap in plastic wrap, set aside.
13. Now (remove plastic from one stack at a time) and just cut each stack in half lengthwise, then into 3rds shortways. You will end up with 12-4" squares total. (6-4" squares from each stack.).Cover one set of squares to keep moist.
14. Melt 4-6 Tbl. butter.
15. Brush top of each square with melted butter, placing one on top of the other ***turning each sheet added a bit so you end up with a pointed-edged circle. (Ten layers.).
16. Tuck each as you go along into your mini muffin tins. Cover your tin with a damp towel, and repeat until all are done (12 in all).
17. Play a little with each flower GENTLY pulling the bottom "petals" downward, and pulling the rest up as you go. (You can do this with a toothpick, or just leave it be.)Bake in a preheated oven for about 6 minutes.
18. Remove tray from oven. Let cool a little.
19. In each "flower cup", spoon in about 1 Tbl. mascarpone mixture.
20. Top each with one piece chicken.
21. Top each with 1 teaspoons s/f strawberry preserves or jam.
22. Insert 2 almond halves on top for garnish, or out of sides a little for "leaves".
23. Bake (in 350 oven) 4-5 minutes longer or til golden.
24. Place "Peonies" onto platter and serve. (Looks extra pretty with fresh flowers placed around and inbetween.).
25. These are easy to make, sorry the directions are so long-winded.
26. *If you're really artistic, and want to use up the extra strips, you can brush them too, stack them(smaller ones on top) and cut stack into 12. Roll them up, pinch and twist bottom to hold, making the centers of flowers. Place on top of each filled muffin tin tucking down into center a little to stay upright. Then continue with step #24.
27. These look prettiest when all the petal layers are separated and staggered height-wise.With the top added, it will be in "full bloom"! ;) :).