Go Back
+ servings
Print

Spicy Chicken Puff

Flaky puff pastry baked with a spiced cheese topping and loaded with fresh ingredients!
Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 6
Author Karen Humphrey

Ingredients

For the spiced chicken

  • 6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the pastry and cheesy topping

  • one 1 lb box of puff pastry I use Tenderflake
  • one 8 oz brick of cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 green onions mined finely
  • 2 tbsp sundried tomatoes packed in oil drained and minced
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • pepper

Fresh toppings

  • 2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 avocado chunked
  • 1 sweet red orange, or yellow pepper, cored and sliced
  • 1-2 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

For the chicken

  1. The day before you intend to serve the dish, mix the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Set aside. Dry off your chicken pieces with paper towel and trim off any fat. Dredge the chicken in the spices and set in a clean dish. Cover with cling film and set in the fridge to infuse the meat with flavor, about 5 hours at least or overnight at best.
  2. To cook the chicken, heat up a fry pan with some oil over medium heat and fry up the thighs, in batches, until cooked through. The spices will blacked somewhat but this is okay. Just keep going in batches. Remove the cooked pieces to a plate and let them cool, then slice thinly.

For the pastry bottom

  1. In a mixer, whip the cream cheese until creamy. Add in the sun dried tomatoes, garlic, green onion, milk, cheese, and pepper, mixing until combined. Set aside.
  2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured counter until it will fit into a standard sized rimmed baking sheet. If your sheet is very large, the pastry might be a little thinner. You don't want the pastry hanging over the edges of the pan.
  3. Spread the cream mixture thinly over the pastry. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and puffed. Let cool on the counter until room temperature. Top the pastry with the fresh ingredients, then slice into squares and eat.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: Chicken can be marinated and cooked a day ahead of time.