I recently enjoyed appetizers and mimosas with friends before a historic home tour. One small spicy chicken puff pastry caught my attention and inspired this Spicy Chicken Puff Pastry recipe.
I kept thinking about that crisp, savory bite, so I set out to recreate it at home.
With ground chicken, dairy-free puff pastry and a well-stocked spice drawer, I tested and adjusted the flavors until the filling matched the memory. The result is flaky, spicy and easy to make.
Ingredient Notes:
Pre-made puff pastry – Any puff pastry will work, but choose a dairy-free brand if you need a dairy-free recipe. Pepperidge Farm is commonly dairy-free and is the brand I used. Other dairy-free puff pastries should perform similarly.
Ground chicken – Ground chicken has a mild flavor that lets the spices and pastry shine, which is why I used it. Ground turkey is an easy substitute and works well. Ground beef could be used too, though I haven’t tested that variation.
Ingredients for Spicy Chicken Puff Pastry:
- 1 pound ground chicken breast
- 1 1/3 sheets packaged puff pastry (dairy-free if needed)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1–2 tsp hot sauce (to taste)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup Daiya cheddar shreds (or regular cheddar if not dairy-free)
- 1 egg (for egg wash; or use oil/almond milk/water for an egg-free option)
Instructions:
- Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions (do not use if still frozen).
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sauté the diced onion and minced garlic for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the ground chicken and break it up with a spoon or spatula as it cooks.
- Stir in paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and sea salt, mixing well so the spices coat the chicken.
- When the chicken is mostly cooked, add the Daiya cheddar shreds (or regular cheddar), soy sauce, hot sauce and 1/4 cup water.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer a few minutes until the mixture is cohesive and any excess liquid has mostly evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Lightly flour a surface and gently roll the 1 1/3 sheets of puff pastry—just enough to stretch them slightly without making them too thin.
- Cut the full pastry sheet into 6 pieces and the remaining 1/3 sheet into 2 pieces for a total of 8 squares (cut into more pieces if you want smaller bites).
- Place about 1/4 cup of the cooked chicken mixture into the center of each pastry square.
- Fold and seal each pastry, pinching and twisting the top to close. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment.
- Beat the egg and brush each filled pastry with the egg wash (or brush with oil/almond milk/water for an egg-free option).
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the pastries are puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes before serving.
Save this recipe and try it for your next gathering. If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out — feedback always brightens my day!
Spicy Chicken Puff Pastry
Kelly Kirkendoll
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken breast
- 1 1/3 sheets packaged puff pastry (dairy-free)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1-2 tsp hot sauce (depending on your heat preference)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup Daiya cheddar shreds
- 1 egg
Instructions
-
Thaw the puff pastry according to the package’s directions.
-
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
-
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
-
Cook onions and garlic about 1 minute until fragrant.
-
Add the chicken and break it up while cooking.
-
Add the spices and stir to combine.
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Continue to chop and stir the chicken until fully cooked.
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Stir in the cheese, soy sauce, hot sauce and water.
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Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the mixture is cohesive.
-
Lightly roll the puff pastry sheets on a floured surface to stretch slightly without thinning them too much.
-
Cut the full sheet into 6 pieces and the remaining 1/3 sheet into 2 pieces for a total of 8.
-
Divide the cooked chicken mixture, using about 1/4 cup per pastry, then pinch and twist the tops to seal.
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Brush each pastry with beaten egg (or oil/almond milk/water for egg-free).
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Bake on a cookie sheet for 18–20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the puff pastry is fully thawed before you work with it — frozen pastry will not roll or seal properly.
- To make smaller bite-sized pastries, cut the pastry into more pieces and divide the filling accordingly; this requires a bit more work but makes more servings.
- If dairy is not a concern, substitute regular shredded cheddar for the dairy-free cheese.
- For an egg-free option, brush the pastries with a little oil, almond milk, or water instead of egg wash.
© Kitchen Gone Rogue. www.kitchengonerogue.com