Chicken Puffs

Ingredients (For 12 chicken puffs)

Puff pastry sheets – 2 (Makes 12 puffs)

Egg white – Of 1 egg

For the filling

1. Boneless chicken – Around 300 – 350 gm (You can also use chicken thighs, bone-in chicken, or left-over cooked chicken)

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt – To taste

2. Onion – Around 1 cup, finely chopped

Ginger-garlic paste – 1.5 tbsp or ginger and garlic, finely chopped – 1 tbsp each

Green chilies – 1 – 2, finely chopped

Curry leaves – 2 tbsp, finely chopped

3.   Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Chilly powder – 1/2  tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1.5 tsp

4. Tomato – 1 small, chopped

5. Garam masala powder – 1 tsp

6. Salt – To taste

7. Coconut oil / vegetable oil – 1 tbsp

Method

1. Cut the chicken into small pieces. Combine them with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp chilly powder, 1/2 tsp pepper powder, 2 – 3 tbsp water and enough salt. Cook in a pan or pressure cooker for 1 – 2 whistles. Open the cooker after 15 mts. Discard excess water. Cool down. Pulse or shred the chicken in 1 – 2 batches in the small jar of a blender. (If you are using left-over chicken roast/fry, just mince them in a mixer and follow the recipe below. If it is curried chicken, remove the bones and tear the flesh with your fingers. You can use the gravy also but make sure to saute it until dry).

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion, little salt, ginger, garlic, green chilli if using and chopped curry leaves. Saute until lightly browned.  Bring down the heat and add the masala powders. Saute for a few seconds and add the chopped tomato. Cook till tomato is completely mashed. Add the shredded chicken. Stir-fry for a few minutes. Sprinkle a little water if it is very dry. Switch off. Set aside to cool completely.

3. Thaw the puff pastry sheets as instructed in the package. I used pepperidge farm puff pastry sheets. Each packet has 2 puff pastry sheets. You can make 6 puffs from each sheet. Cut the puff pastry sheet into desired shape. Fill 1.5 tbsp of the chicken filling. Line the edges with a little water/egg white and seal the puffs using your fingers or press a fork into the edges. Arrange the prepared puffs on a baking sheet lined with foil/ aluminium paper or greased with oil. Lightly beat the egg white and brush on top of the filled puff pastries. Preheat the oven to 400 F and bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the chicken puffs turns golden brown on top.

 

Tips

You can use the left-over chicken filling to make delicious chicken cutlets. Combine them with boiled mashed potatoes and little salt. Cook for a few minutes until it gets dry( if the mixture is moist) or you can add some bread crumbs/maida instead. Shape into balls and flatten them. Dip in egg white and then in bread crumbs. Shallow fry in oil. I made 6 puffs,  so for the remaining chicken filling, I used 3 medium-small potatoes. It yielded around 15 cutlets.