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This Chicken Wellington with dijon cream sauce makes a fantastic holiday meal. With flaky puff pastry, a simple duxelle of mushrooms and shallots, and a creamy dijon sauce, these individual wellingtons are perfect date night dinner and also incredibly affordable.
While we all love the classic beef wellington, it can be so expensive to buy a chateaubriand, even for a special occasion. If you’re a new cook, you might be nervous to test out a recipe using such an expensive cut of beef. That is what makes this recipe perfect!
Although it may look intimidating at first glance, chicken Wellington is so much easier to try if it’s your first time creating this classic dish. For an even faster recipe, you’ll love this chicken in puff pastry. Serve it with creamy mashed cauliflower, Boursin mashed potatoes, or vegetable tian.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Typically a wellington is made with a longer cut of meat like a beef tenderloin. With chicken, I like to sliced these into smaller portions which makes individual servings! This makes it a great option for dinner parties or for holidays.
Chicken wellington is one of the most affordable ways you can make a “Wellington”. Plus it allows you to take a chance on what is normally a very advanced recipe, making it practical for the home cook. You’ll love this recipe because it’s:
- Inexpensive – Chicken breast much less expensive than beef for a holiday meal.
- Delicious – The flaky puff pastry contains a shallot and mushroom mixture that’s called a “duxelle” and it packs a ton of flavor with a hint of thyme.
- Dijon cream sauce – Because chicken can dry out much faster and doesn’t have the same richness that an expensive cut of beef would, I love to pair it with a dijon cream sauce for dipping. The chicken Wellington sauce really elevates the meal, but you can also skip it if you don’t want it.
- Simple – This recipe is so easy any home cook can do it. With store-bought puff pastry, it saves you a lot of time and effort. And I give you so many foolproof tips that anyone can cook this delicious meal!
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – I prefer to use air-chilled chicken, especially for this recipe. It will give a better caramelized exterior to the chicken and also provide a better flavor.
- Mushrooms – Button mushrooms work great for the duxelle, just wipe them with a damp paper towel to clean.
- Shallot – Shallot provides a really delicious onion flavor without being overpowering. I don’t recommend substituting it.
- Dijon mustard– A good dijon is essential. Do not substitute this with another type of mustard. I recommend one without wine or sulfites, like Annies.
- Thyme – You can use fresh or dried, but I’ve tested this with 1 teaspoon of dried. If you use fresh, use 2 teaspoons. Rosemary would also be a wonderful substitution.
- Egg – An egg wash gets that beautiful golden brown color on the top of the puff pastry.
- Butter – I recommend using Kerrygold unsalted. You can also use ghee.
- Puff pastry – Explained in more detail just below!
For the sauce, all you need is a good quality vegetable stock (I like to use Trader Joe’s Hearty Vegetable), heavy cream (get one without carrageenan like Organic Valley or Horizon), and more of the dijon mustard.
How to Choose Puff Pastry
Puff pastry is such an integral component of Chicken Wellington, it is necessary to get a good brand.
This recipe was tested with Trader Joe’s puff pastry, but there are so many good ones out there, and they can even accommodate dairy free and gluten free diets. Here are a few tips.
- Start with a frozen puff pastry and defrost for at least 6 hours in the fridge. I find if I move mine to the fridge in the morning, it is fully defrosted by dinner time.
- Look for puff pastry with real butter. This makes a huge difference in the overall flavor and richness of the chicken wellington.
- For gluten free, try Schar puff pastry.
How to Make Chicken Wellington
Step 1: Sear the chicken
Add olive oil and one tablespoon of butter to a large sauté or cast iron pan over medium high heat. Slice chicken breasts in half so they are about 3-4 inches large. Then sear them for about 2 minutes on each side, just till golden brown. The chicken does not need to be cooked through. Remove them and set aside.
Step 2: Make the duxelle
In a food processor, add the mushrooms and pulse till chopped very small, but not quite blended into a paste. Add olive oil and another tablespoon of butter to the same pan you seared the chicken in and heat over medium high. Add in the mushrooms, chopped shallot, and minced garlic, stirring often till the mushrooms have softened and everything becomes fragrant – about 5-6 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare the puff pastry
Using a very large cutting board or flat, clean surface, sprinkle flour lightly on top and rub around the surface with your hand to spread out. Place the defrosted puff pastry on top and sprinkle flour on top, rubbing around to lightly coat all over. This helps to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin.
Use a rolling pin to roll puff pastry to about an 11 inch square. Cut pastry into 4 equal squares and set on a baking sheet covered with parchment, about 2 inches apart.
Step 4: Assemble the Wellington
Spread 1/4 cup of the mushroom mixture in the center of each square to about the diameter of the chicken, leaving at least a 1 inch border around the edges. Place a chicken breast on top, then spread the top of it with dijon mustard. Set the remaining two pastry squares over the top, pressing down on the pastry to seal the edges, forming a tight pastry pocket. Trim any excess dough and then use a fork to crimp the edges around all sides, sealing it tightly.
Step 5: Brush with egg
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the tops and sides of the puff pastry with the beaten egg.
Step 6: Bake
Bake at 400 degrees F for 17-19 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and chicken registers at least 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Remove from oven and plate promptly (chicken continues to cook in the pocket).
Step 7: Make Dijon cream sauce
While the chicken is baking, add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in shallot and stir till softened, about 1 minute. Add in broth and turn up the heat, bringing to a simmer.
Simmer till the broth has reduced by about half, then stir in the heavy cream. Continue to simmer till the sauce has thickened – sliding a wood spoon down the middle should leave a line. Stir in the Dijon and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve alongside the chicken Wellington or on top!
Serving Suggestions
This easy chicken Wellington is best served with simple sides. My favorite way to serve it is with roasted or sautéed green beans, asparagus, or a butter lettuce salad.
For a very elevated meal, try it with roasted mashed cauliflower or potatoes. Some other delicious side dishes:
Cream Sauce for Wellington
This Dijon cream sauce is completely optional, but highly recommended. Since we’re using chicken breast, making the cream sauce can add a little bit of decadence to the dish.
The sauce pairs extremely well with the crispy texture of the puff pastry and it only takes about 10 minutes to make. You can even prep the sauce ahead, store in the fridge, and whisk it on the stove over low heat before serving.
Other sauces that you may enjoy are a Boursin Cream Sauce or Mozzarella Alfredo.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator – Store after the pastries have cooled, in an air-tight container. They will keep in the fridge up to 3 days.
Re-heating – Warm the oven back to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place the puff pastry chicken on a baking sheet. Bake for about 7-10 minutes until just heated through and crispy.
Freezer – These chicken wellington will freeze well for up to 6 months. To reheat from frozen, place on a sheet pan and heat at 300 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Bump up the temperature to 400 degrees for another 5-7 minutes, just to get it to crisp up a bit more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken Wellington is the same as a traditional beef Wellington, only it replaces the beef with boneless chicken breasts. It’s not only less expensive, but a little bit easier for the average cook. You can even switch this out with salmon and make a salmon Wellington.
Do not leave the chicken puff pastries to chill more than 45 minutes and make sure the mushrooms are thoroughly cooked. If there’s a lot of moisture after you’ve cooked the mushrooms, drain it. Air-chilled chicken also releases less moisture!
These can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrosting in the oven will take a little more time and you do risk the chicken drying out more. I would definitely recommend re-making the sauce if heating from frozen.
Yes, just replace the butter with Earth Balance pressed oils or olive oil and use a puff pastry without butter. It won’t have the same depth of flavor, but it will still taste good. For the sauce, I recommend using a thicker milk like oat milk, and adding a teaspoon or two of flour to the shallots to help the sauce thicken.
Tips for Success
- Use air-chilled chicken. This will give you the best flavor and also create a nice caramelization when searing.
- Ensure the pastry is well-sealed around the edges. This will prevent any leaks! Press down tightly with your fingers first, then use a fork to crimp the edges.
- Follow the timing and invest in a meat thermometer. Using thicker chicken breasts can help, but chicken can dry out if overcooked. The mushroom mixture and dijon, as well as the sauce, helps a lot, but you can avoid this by using a meat thermometer to make sure it is cooked through with the times given.
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Chicken Wellington
Equipment
- 1 rolling pin or wine bottle
- Optional: Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 8 oz button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
- 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thick (not thin-sliced) and air-chilled recommended
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound 9×9 puff pastry sheets, thawed (2 sheets per box)
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Dijon Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Process mushrooms in a food processor until minced very small, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Pat chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and slice them in half, creating two separate (roughly) 4 inch breasts. Season both sides lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large non-stick or cast iron pan over medium high heat. Sear chicken breasts about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown but not cooked through. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Add another teaspoon of olive oil and tablespoon of butter to the pan, then add minced mushrooms, shallot, garlic, thyme, and about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring often until browned and no liquid remains – about 6-8 minutes total. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool completely.
- Lightly flour a clean work surface or cutting board and roll out the puff pastry into an 11 inch, even square. Cut the pastry into 2 squares. Place two of the squares onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart.
- Spread about 1/4 cup of the mushroom mixture on the top of the puff pastry, spreading out but leaving about an inch around the edges. Place the chicken breast on top, then add about 1 teaspoon of dijon to the top of the chicken, spreading it to coat the whole top.
- Fold one edge of the puff pastry in (see pictures in post for clear images), then fold the other corner over it. Take the two ends and place them over each other. This should form a tight pastry/pocket shape with no holes. You can secure also this with toothpicks to make sure it does not come apart. Brush the tops and sides of the pastry with egg wash.
- Bake at 400F for 17-20 minutes, or until the puff pastry has become golden brown and crispy, and the chicken has cooked through to 165 degrees F. Cooking times will vary depending on how thick your chicken breasts are. Mine were about 3/4 inch thick and took 17 minutes.
Dijon Cream Sauce
- While the chicken wellington is baking, make the dijon cream sauce. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add shallot, stirring for 1 minute. Add in vegetable broth and turn up the heat, simmer till it's reduced by about 1/2 (so 1/2 cup of broth remaining) then stir in the heavy cream. Continue to simmer till thickened – a wood spoon should leave behind a line when run through the sauce. Stir in dijon and season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Use air-chilled chicken for the best flavor and cooking results.
- Make sure you fully seal all sides of the puff pastry.
- The dijon sauce is not necessary, but a nice addition for an elevated meal.
- Follow thawing instructions on the box of the puff pastry.
- See the post for tips on gluten and dairy-free
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
U state 1 lb puff pastry in ingredients. Do u use both sheets cutting each in half to make 4 rectangles or do u use 1 sheet and cut into 4 squares. Planning on making this tomorrow and need to thaw tonight. Thank you in advance for your help!
Hey! I hope this worked out. If you scroll up I have pictures, but I use both sheets. For one sheet, you cut it in half like the picture shows, and then you have 4 sheets total.
GREAT RECIPE!!! Made this for my dad’s 93rd Birthday Dinner…he lives in an assisted living facility and wanted to make something “fancy” – he loves mushrooms but doesn’t eat beef.
My only riff was to add sauteed mushrooms to the cream sauce.
I served with smashed potatoes, roasted purple cauliflower, roasted carrots and roasted asparagus.
Thank you so much! What a great gift for him. I love your addition of the mushrooms too.
I want to make this ahead of time for dinner tomorrow . Do I fully cook in the oven & then freeze ?
Hey! Since you’re cooking the next day, you could cook them and cool, then keep in the fridge. Then warm them again in the oven to crisp up. Or you could just keep the unbaked ones in the fridge overnight after cooking the chicken through, but it may result in a more dry chicken (the filling should help though). I wouldn’t go through the effort of freezing and defrosting for a day.
So to make ahead just assemble everything and put in the frig, then do the egg wash and then cook? Can I make the sauce ahead as well?
Yes and you can make the sauce ahead and then just reheat in a pan over low heat, stirring often. You may need to add a little more cream to get it creamy again while you’re mixing but overall should work out fine.
Yes, she would have to cook the chicken breast through initially. Would be fine to cook and reheat though.