Perfect for parties or just a special dinner, my Mum's chicken filo pasties (or chicken filo parcels), filled with prosciutto, cheese and spinach are pretty easy to put together, taste delicious and look rather impressive.
My mum is a great cook but when it comes to sharing the details of her creations she's a bit frustrating.
She never really follows recipes and is very good at instinctively adding this and that to get the perfect balance.
The problem is that she never knows what went into something. It's also pretty rare that something appears on the menu more than once (except in the case of her chicken filo).
Chicken filo pasties (aka chicken in filo pastry) were mum's invention for Easter a few years ago and they were so good, with a bit of tweaking, she served them for Mother's Day lunch that year too.
Yay, a repeat! In case you don't understand my excitement, a repeat means I actually get the recipe!
Ingredients
- Filo (or phyllo) pastry - the key ingredient.
- Melted butter for brushing - we prefer pure butter - the type you get in a block wrapped in foil.
- Free-range chicken breast fillets (1 per person) - about 100g each
- Grated gruyere cheese (1 tablespoon per chicken fillet) - likely need to buy a block and grate it yourself
- Creamed spinach - spinach mixed with bechamel sauce (2 tablespoon per chicken fillet)
- Proscuitto (1 slice per chicken fillet) - either fresh sliced from the deli or the packet type
Can you freeze the chicken pasties?
Yes!
The best part is that these chicken pasties can be made ahead and frozen.
On the day, all you have to do is take them out of the freezer to thaw then pop them in the oven making them perfect for entertaining (or for keeping them in the freezer for a quick dinner).
We recommend wrapping each filo pillow individually in plastic wrap or wax paper and freezing. If using wax paper, put them all in a container in the freezer.
Instructions
As luck would have it I popped in on the day Mum was doing the prep work so I grabbed a few pics as she worked. It's a good thing because I don't think my explanation would be too clear without pictorial support.
1 - Bash out the chicken (not pictured) using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
2 - Spread the spinach filling then top with the cheese & prosciutto.
3 - Fold one side of the chicken up and skewer it then fold the other up to meet it.
4 - Wrap up the pastry like a parcel (follow the order of sides in the photos brushing it with butter as you go.
5 - Wrap to freezer or cook them.
Inside the chicken filo parcels is nice and juicy thanks to the cheesy spinach and rich gruyere and the prosciutto gives it a saltiness finished off with the crunchiness of the wafer-thin pastry.
You'll notice that the recipe isn't very exact.
It's more of a 'feel your way' recipe rather than set in stone.
Feel free to experiment with flavours or fillings.
Mum's only big tip is to make sure you flatten the chicken out otherwise it will take too long to cook and the pastry with burn.
What is filo pastry?
Filo pastry is a super-thin (like paper) pastry common in Greek (hello Baklava!) Middle Eastern (Boureks anyone?) and Balkan cooking.
When you use the pastry, you join layers by brushing each layer with butter or oil which also helps it become crisp as it cooks.
You can buy it at most supermarkets in the freezer or fridge section.
What is filo pastry made from?
Filo pastry is made using flour, water and usually a little bit of oil or vinegar, although some recipes also use egg yolk. You can make your own but it is pretty fiddly and one of those things I put in the too hard basket.
Tips
- Filo pastry will dry out quickly so only take a little out of the packaging at a time.
- Get the melted butter ready before you open the pastry.
- Make sure your knife is super sharp or the pastry will tear.
- Use a pastry brush for the butter.
- If the pastry breaks, use the butter like glue to put it back together. Try and use the ripped pieces on the inside so it looks prettier.
Could you use puff pastry instead of filo to make chicken parcels?
I haven't tried it but I think you could just as easily use puff pastry for this recipe in the same way although you will need to cook at 200C fan-forced.
What about you?
When you entertain do you try to do it all in advance or are you more a spur-of-the-moment entertainer?
More parcel-like recipes:
Recipe
Chicken filo parcels
Ingredients
- 2 sheets Filo pastry
- 1 teaspoon Melted butter for brushing
- 1 Free-range chicken breast fillets 1 per person
- 1 tablespoon Grated gruyere cheese 1 tablespoon per chicken fillet
- 2 teaspoon Creamed spinach - spinach mixed with bechamel sauce 2 tablespoon per chicken fillet
- 1 slice Proscuitto 1 slice per chicken fillet
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and baking paper.
- Place the chicken fillet on a chopping board and bash it out until it is about 2cm thick.
- Lay one sheet of pastry out, brush it with butter then place another sheet on top then brush it with butter too.
- Lay out one chicken fillet then pile the middle with cheese, spinach and folded proscuitto (see image).
- Fold the left side of the chicken over the filling then the right side and then fold the left side of the pastry over the top.
- Brush it with butter and fold the top of the pastry down over the chicken, brush it with butter and fold up the bottom.
- Finally, brush the rest of the pastry with butter and roll up the chicken.
- Place it on a baking dish seam-side down and brush with butter.
- At this stage you can freeze the parcels. Freeze in a single layer. Defrost before cooking.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until browned.
Caiti says
What is the cooking time from frozen?
Claire says
I'd let them defrost first.
Sarah says
YUM take some chicken, some cheese, any other tasty bits, wrap it in pastry, and baby, I'm happy. LOVE THIS.
Claire says
Pastry really does make everything wonderful doesn't it?!
Lisa the Gourmet Wog says
I love the pictorial support, a great way to capture the masterpiece!! I'm quite like your mum, a cook who likes 'a bit of this and a bit of that' thrown into the pot :) Love it x
Claire says
I think I've picked up her cooking style too Lisa. I'm getting better at writing down the details though!
Jo Smith says
Oh they look good.
Claire says
Thanks Jo!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I lol'd at pictorial support. These look fantastic. You learned how to cook from a master, Claire.
Claire says
Pictorial support was essential! :-)
The Café Sucre Farine says
Yum! These look so good Claire and "mum"! I do have the answer for you Claire; your mom needs to start a blog. I was always the same way, never measuring anything, throwing in a little of this and a little of that. Now I measure everything! See, you can teach old dogs new tricka!
Claire says
Ooh that could be a good idea! I'll tell her you said that.
The Life of Clare says
Claire this looks wonderful! Anything cooked in FILO is a winner!
Claire says
Very true Clare!
Hotly Spiced says
These look really good. I think intuitive cooks are better cooks than those who follow recipes - they're just frustrating though because they often don't write up their creations. You did well to capture this. I can imagine these being very yummy xx
Claire says
Yes you're right Charlie. I just need to set up a video camera in her kitchen! x
Sophie - thestickyandsweet says
Yummo! Mama Sweet makes a similar chicken filo pastry but with pesto, grated tasty cheese, pine nuts and diced capsicum or sundried tomato. Always a winner!
Claire says
Ooh yum what a tasty combo!