Pesto Chicken Puff Pastry Packets Recipes

JAMIE OLIVER'S FLAKY PASTRY PESTO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas 7. Unroll the pastry, cut it in half lengthways, then cut each half widthways into 8 equal strips. Flatten the chicken breasts by pounding with your fist until the fat ends as the same thickness as the skinny ends. Place them in a roasting tray, season with sea salt and black pepper, spread over the pesto, then lay 4 overlapping strips of pastry over each breast, tucking them under at the edges. Brush with a little olive oil. Lightly dress the tomato vines in olive oil, season and put into a second tray. Place the chicken tray on the top shelf of the oven with the tomatoes below, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the chicken is cooked through. Meanwhile, line up the beans, trim off just the stalk ends, then cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 7 minutes, or until tender. Remove the chicken to a board with half the tomatoes, squashing the rest in a tray and discarding the vines. Drain and toss the beans, taste and season to perfection. Slice the chicken at an angle and serve on top of the beans, with the whole tomatoes. CALORIES 618kcal FAT 34.8g SAT FAT 18g PROTEIN 36.3g CARBS 40.4g SUGAR 7.1g SALT 1.7g FIBRE 4.9g 5 Ingredients by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Random House ⓒ Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited. Photographer: David Loftus.

PESTO EGG PUFF PASTRY SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Beat 6 of the eggs together in a bowl. When the butter has melted, add the beaten eggs, spinach and pesto, along with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Scramble the eggs until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the fontina.
• Beat together the remaining egg and a splash of cold water in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Set aside.
• Lay out the two sheets of puff pastry and roll them into 9-by-10-inch rectangles. Cut each into six 3-by-5-inch rectangles. Divide the egg mixture among six of the puff pastry rectangles, leaving a 1-centimeter border around the edges. Fold the ham and place it on top of the eggs. Brush the borders with the egg wash and top each with another puff pastry rectangle. Using a fork, crimp the edges to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with the everything seasoning. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Serve hot or cold and enjoy.

PUFF PASTRY CHICKEN POCKETS

Steps:

• Cut a lengthwise slit in every chicken breast to within a 1/2 inch of the the other side, open so they lay flat.
• Cover each chicken breast with plastic wrap; pound to 1/8 inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
• Stir half of the thyme into each carton of cream cheese and set aside.
• Place spinach leaves over chicken breasts.
• Spoon 2 Tbs. of the cream cheese mixture down the center of each chicken breast.
• Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the cream cheese and lightly press so that they stick.
• Roll up the chicken breasts to cover the filling and tuck in the ends.
• Unroll the puff pastry; cut into 8 even portions. Roll each into an 8-in.x7-in. rectangle.
• Combine egg and cold water; brush over edges of pastry.
• Place chicken at one short end; roll up tightly and tuck in ends as you go.
• Place pockets on a greased cookie sheet. Brush them with remaining egg and water mixture, and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

PESTO CHICKEN PUFF PASTIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
• Dice the chicken into half-inch cubes.
• Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the chicken and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from the heat.
• Roll out the puff pastry sheets and cut each in half (cut the shortest distance through the middle so you are left with two short, fat rectangles not long thin ones).
• Add the pesto sauce and tomatoes to the chicken and stir to mix.
• Spoon equal amounts of the chicken mixture onto the pastry sheets, covering half of each sheet but leaving a gap at the edge to seal the pastry.
• Top the chicken mixture with the grated mozzarella cheese.
• Beat the egg. Brush egg around the inside edge of each pasty then fold the pastry over to seal. Crimp with a fork to reinforce the seal.
• Brush each pasty with the beaten egg.
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes (mine take closer to 20) until the pastry is golden.
• Serve hot and enjoy!