Creamy Chicken Puffs

Submitted by bfo4007

"A tasty chicken snack for parties or picnics, great finger food."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 50mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 15

ingredients

• Filling

• 1 lb chicken breast, diced
• 1 ounce butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 6 slices streaky bacon, rind removed,cut into 1/4 inch,5 mm,strips
• 1 ounce flour
• 300 ml chicken stock
• 2 ounces chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced
• 2 fluid ounces creme fraiche or 2 fluid ounces double cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper

• Pastry

• 1 (500 g) package fresh premade puff pastry
• 2 large egg yolks, beaten

directions

1. Trim the chicken into even-sized pieces, roughly 1/2 inch (1 cm) squares.
2. 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.
3. Using a draining spoon, remove it to a plate.
4. 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.
5. Transfer the bacon to join the onion on a plate and start to fry the chicken in the bacon fat, for about 2 minutes.
6. Return the onion and bacon to the saucepan.
7. Using a wooden spoon, and keeping the heat at medium, sprinkle in the flour and stir it in to soak up all the juices.
8. Add the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring as you add until all the stock has been incorporated.
9. As it comes to simmer, it will have thickened to a creamy sauce.
10. 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.
11. 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).
12. 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).
13. Allow the pastry to come to room temperature?
14. this will take about 10 minutes?
15. then carefully unroll the sheet of pastry.
16. Roll pastry to approx 3mm thickness and then cut out 10cm (4inch) circles from the pastry.
17. Place a spoonful of filling into the center of the circles.
18. Brush the edges with the beaten egg yolk, and fold in half and pinch the seam.
19. Before cooking, brush the whole lot thickly with a beaten egg yolk.
20. 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.