Description
Elevate your appetizer game with a stunning Creamy Chicken Vol-au-Vent, a French-inspired dish that combines flaky, buttery puff pastry with a rich, creamy filling. Whether you’re hosting a special dinner or treating yourself to something elegant, these vol-au-vents will add a touch of sophistication to your meal.
Ingredients
1 pack frozen puff pastry (essential for flaky, buttery shell)
1 large egg (for egg wash)
1 tbsp water (to mix with egg)
6 strips chicken sausage (or a similar alternative)
2 medium leeks (white parts only, sliced)
1 medium sweet yellow pepper (diced)
1 cup rotisserie chicken (shredded)
8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1/4 tsp salt (enhances flavors)
1/4 tsp pepper (essential seasoning)
Fresh parsley (minced, for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pastry: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Flour a clean surface and unfold one sheet of puff pastry. Using a round cutter, cut out 6 circles, each about 3 1/4 inches in diameter. Unfold the second sheet of pastry and use a smaller cutter to hollow out the centers of the remaining circles.
- Assemble the Pastry Shells: Layer the smaller circles on top of the larger ones, creating rings. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash, then brush it over the pastry shells. Chill the pastries for 15 minutes before baking.
- Bake the Pastry: Bake the pastry shells in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the Filling: While the pastry is baking, cook the chicken sausage in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked. Remove from the skillet and crumble. In the same skillet, sauté the leeks and yellow pepper for about 5-7 minutes, until they are tender.
- Mix the Filling: Combine the crumbled chicken sausage, shredded rotisserie chicken, softened cream cheese, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the Vol-au-Vents: Once the pastry shells have cooled slightly, hollow out the center of each shell. Fill them with the creamy chicken mixture. Garnish with freshly minced parsley.
Notes
Vegetarian Version: Replace the chicken sausage with a plant-based sausage or mushrooms for a meatless alternative.
Cheese Add-ins: Add shredded cheese like Gruyère or cheddar to the filling for extra richness and flavor.
Spicy Version: Incorporate a dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes into the filling for a little heat.
Herb Flavors: Add fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to the filling for a fragrant twist.
Storage: Store any leftover vol-au-vents in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or until the pastry is crispy again. For best results, avoid microwaving, as this can make the pastry soggy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 vol-au-vent
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
