This spinach artichoke chicken in puff pastry are little pockets of heaven with creamy Boursin cheese, spinach, and artichokes and tender chicken breast. Although this recipe looks fancy, it's incredibly simple and the perfect dinner for company or a holiday meal.
Store-bought puff pastry surrounds a simple combination of artichoke hearts, spinach, and chicken breast, which is flavored with Boursin garlic and herb cheese. This means you don't even need a lot of spices to make this puff pastry chicken!
Not only is it easy, but this recipe will wow your guests and make it look like you're a top chef, but only takes a little over 30 minutes to make. Plus it's great to make ahead!
Chicken in puff pastry pairs well with simple sides like green beans, an apple fennel salad, and roasted mashed cauliflower.
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Why You'll Love Chicken In Puff Pastry
This recipe came out of my love for the Chicken Wellington recipe I made earlier this year. With grocery prices going up, I wanted an alternative Wellington recipe that was a little more affordable. However, with the duxelle, it is still time consuming.
I really wanted to come up with an alternative that you could make for friends and family that's not only easy to make ahead and affordable, but looks like you spent all day in the kitchen. Enter this puff pastry chicken!
- Minimal ingredients - This recipe only has 8 total ingredients and that includes olive oil! It's not an expensive dish to make.
- Customizable - You can make this recipe gluten and dairy free, as well as all vegetarian. I'll give you edits for this below.
- Great flavor - Adults and kids will love the buttery puff pastry that has a great crunch and the super creamy spinach artichoke chicken center.
- Make ahead - This recipe reheats beautifully, even after being in the fridge it will crisp right back up.
What Puff Pastry is Best?
There are so many types of puff pastry on the market, so let's discuss which one is best for this chicken in puff pastry recipe.
- Trader Joe's Puff Pastry - This is my go-to and I always stock up around the holidays. Made with simple ingredients, it's got a wonderful flavor and is easy to work with. Dufour is similar as well, but it does contain lemon juice.
- Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets - Affordable and easy to find. While it's super crispy, it's less flavorful because it doesn't contain butter, or any dairy. However, this is a good option if you're dairy free.
- Schar - A good gluten free alternative, this tastes great but is super crumbly and can be tricky to work with, especially when folding. If you're using this brand, I'll give you tips for folding below.
Ingredients
Outside of olive oil, salt and pepper, here are the basic ingredients.
- Puff Pastry - as discussed above, my favorite is one with butter for the best flavor. But choose which one is best for your personal preference and just read my tips for how to fold them.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast - You could also use boneless chicken thighs here as well. I prefer air-chilled chicken for the best flavor.
- Canned artichoke hearts - Plain and packed in water, unless you have a particular flavor you love.
- Boursin cheese - I love to use Boursin cheese here because it adds spices and flavor without additional ingredients. I always use Garlic and Fine Herbs for this recipe, but the Shallot and Chive or Black Pepper would also work.
- Fresh spinach - Since you only need a handful, it's best to work with fresh spinach here over frozen, which can be a little watery.
- Egg - A whisked egg is brushed over the puff pastry for a golden brown shine.
- Broth (optional) - This can be chicken or vegetable broth and may or may not be needed depending on how much cheese you add and how much moisture is in your mix! If using, I like to use Trader Joe's Hearty Vegetable Broth.
Equipment Needed
Outside of the basic cooking utensils, I found these little tips help you get the best chicken in puff pastry possible.
- Parchment paper - Needed for baking so nothing sticks to the pan.
- Rolling pin or wine bottle - This helps to roll out the puff pastry so you can fit more chicken filling inside.
- Toothpicks - this will hold together the puff pastry pocket so it doesn't break open, giving you the best presentation. They remind me of little Harry Potter envelopes. Although even if it does break open, it's still delicious!
How to Make
Step 1: Cook the spinach and artichoke chicken filling
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and make sure the puff pastry has been defrosted overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for 2-3 hours. In a large sauté pan, add olive oil and turn to medium high heat. Add in chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces and cook for 5-6 minutes, flipping as they cook through and turn golden brown in spots.
Add the drained artichoke hearts, making sure you've squeezed out ALL moisture with a paper towel, and the spinach. Stir for 2-3 minutes until spinach has wilted. Turn the heat to low and add in Boursin cheese, stirring to combine with the chicken and artichoke filling. If it seems dry, add a little bit of broth. You want the sauce to coat the vegetables and chicken but not be watery.
Step 2: Fill the Puff Pastry
Lay one puff pastry sheet on a floured work surface and roll out with a rolling pin till a little larger in size (doesn't need to be super thin). Then cut into 4 squares. Fill each square with the chicken artichoke filling. Repeat with other puff pastry sheet for 8 squares total.
Carefully fold opposite edges till they connect and press the ends together. Then do the same with the other edges, forming a pocket/envelope. Secure both connections with toothpicks, then place the pocket onto a sheet pan covered with parchment. Brush the tops with a whisked egg.
Step 3: Bake
Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes until just golden brown and crispy on top and on the bottom. Just lift the puff pastry chicken pocket with the side of a knife or fork to check underneath. Since the chicken is already cooked through, you don't need to worry about that!
Expert Tips
I made these chicken in puff pastry for a cooking class and here are some of the things we learned together!
- Gluten free puff pastry tend to crumble. Instead of making these into pockets, you can simply fold up the edges on the sides to create a little "boat" for the chicken to be filled in the middle.
- Your chicken mixture should not be watery. A few ways to avoid this - use air chilled chicken, which has not been injected with any solutions and will release less moisture while cooking. Drain any excess moisture after the chicken has cooked. Also squeeze out the drained and rinsed artichoke hearts with a paper towel so they're very dry!
- If it is watery, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of flour to try to thicken up the mixture and skip the extra broth.
- Without the toothpicks, it's likely the pocket will open and break apart. However, this doesn't affect the taste, just the presentation. You'll still love it!
Recipe FAQ
Dairy free - use dairy free Boursin cheese or simply leave it out! Gluten free - use Schar gluten free puff pastry or just make the chicken mixture and serve over brown rice.
Yes! Leave out the chicken and use a whole can of artichoke hearts + double or triple the spinach amount.
If you don't want to use Boursin, you can use an herbed goat cheese or plain cream cheese. However if using a plain cheese, I would recommend adding 1-2 garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon of dried herbs like thyme or rosemary for flavor.
I don't recommend freezing puff pastry after it's already been thawed. If you don't intend to use all the puff pastry within 2-3 days, keep one sheet frozen, or make a double batch and just freeze the chicken in puff pastry pockets for a later meal.
Storage Information
Refrigerator - To store these artichoke chicken in puff pastries, simply put into a container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer - Place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or storage container and store up to 3 months in the freezer.
These freeze and reheat beautifully! To reheat from the fridge, place in the oven on a sheet pan at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 7 minutes or until warmed through and crispy.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend serving these spinach artichoke puff pastry chicken pockets with simple sides since the puff pastry can be rich! A light salad or greens will be best.
- Simple green beans
- Apple fennel salad
- Pear rocket salad
- Mashed cauliflower
Elegant Chicken Recipes
For more recipes like this chicken in puff pastry, don't miss the Chicken Wellington and these other dishes!
If you make this, tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And if you love the recipe, please leave a review below! Follow along on my Pinterest for more great recipes.
Chicken in Puff Pastry
Equipment
- 1 rolling pin or wine bottle
- toothpicks
Ingredients
- 1 box puff pastry sheets, thawed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about ¾ pound total)
- 1 cup rinsed, squeezed dry, and chopped artichoke hearts (about ½-3/4 of a 15oz can)
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 3 oz Boursin Garlic and Herb cheese (about ½ package)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable broth (optional)
- 1 large egg, whisked
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and make sure the puff pastry has been defrosted overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for 2-3 hours. In a large sauté pan, add olive oil and turn to medium high heat. Add in chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces and cook for 5-6 minutes, flipping as they cook through and turn golden brown in spots. If there's any extra moisture in the pan from the chicken, wipe it with a paper towel.
- Add the drained artichoke hearts, making sure you've squeezed out ALL moisture with a paper towel, and the spinach. Stir for 2-3 minutes until spinach has wilted. Turn the heat to low and add in Boursin cheese, stirring to combine with the chicken and artichoke filling. If it seems dry, add a little bit of broth. You want the sauce to coat the vegetables and chicken but not be watery.
- Lay one puff pastry sheet on a floured work surface and roll out with a rolling pin till a little larger in size (doesn't need to be super thin). Then cut into 4 squares. Fill each square with the chicken artichoke filling. Repeat with other puff pastry sheet for 8 squares total.
- Carefully fold opposite edges of the puff pastry till they connect and press the ends together. Then do the same with the other edges, forming a pocket/envelope. Secure both connections with toothpicks (this isn't necessary if you don't care about the overall look, but it does keep the pieces together better than pressing with fingers), then place the pocket onto a sheet pan covered with parchment. Brush the tops with the whisked egg.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20-23 minutes, or until the tops and underneath the puff pastry are golden brown and crispy. Serve warm or allow to cool completely and place in the fridge to serve later.
Notes
- This makes 8 puff pastry pockets, but a serving can be 1-2 pockets depending on how hungry you are.
- Gluten free puff pastry tends to break apart so instead of creating the pockets, just do boats, folding up the edges of the square around the sides.
- For dairy free, use dairy free Boursin or just omit the cheese from the recipe.
- You can also substitute the Boursin cheese with other flavors. If using cream cheese or goat cheese, I recommend one that's a garlic herb flavor or adding garlic and herbs.
Wonderful recipe, but save yourself the trouble of making a "packet". Place the pastry in a muffin tin, add the filling, dampen the dough, and pinch closed.
First time working with puff pastry (won't be last), so easy. This recipe was delicious and made enough to freeze a few. Definitely will be making again.
Served with coleslaw.
Huge hit at my family’s Christmas Day gathering! I made these as appetizers! They are divine!
Thank you, Stephanie! So happy to hear!
Made these for dinner tonight and it wasn’t difficult. We’ve got some for the freezer, which is a bonus. Will definitely be making them again.
I know I will freeze some of these, I did not notice how to reheat from freezer.
They're best to defrost in the fridge and then heat with the instructions above. I haven't tried to heat them straight from frozen yet! I imagine you may be able to wrap in foil so they don't get overly brown, but you'll have to test out.
We made this at our Miles for Migraine Social Event and it was so fun to cook along with Alicia! She made it easy to cook with her and the end result was amazing. I made extra and had this for dinner for two nights. My family LOVED it! It was an easy dish to make and it will look like you are a true chef if you make it for dinner guests! I give it 5 stars.
Normally I would shy away from this recipe because it looks complicated, but when Alicia demoed it on the Miles for Migraine cooking event, it was super easy! It's made with ready-made puff pastry and looks like it took hours to make. It's great for company, and tastes delish!
These are really fun and easy to make AND they taste great! We even had a little bit of extra "filling" which was tasty to eat on it's own. I didn't have any toothpicks, but my pastry did stay together with some good pinching!