Chicken Pillows With Creamy Parmesan (Print Version)
Flaky crescent dough stuffed with seasoned chicken and cream cheese, baked until golden and served with rich parmesan sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken Pillows
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
02 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 2 green onions, finely chopped
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
06 - Salt and pepper to taste
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
08 - 1 can (8 pieces) refrigerated crescent dough
09 - 1 tablespoon butter, melted
→ Creamy Parmesan Sauce
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
12 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
13 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 - Pinch of nutmeg
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cream cheese, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix until well blended and all ingredients are evenly distributed.
03 - Unroll the crescent dough and separate into 8 triangles. Spoon an equal portion of the chicken mixture onto the wide end of each triangle.
04 - Roll each triangle up from the wide end toward the point, tucking in the sides to seal the filling inside and form a neat pillow shape.
05 - Place the pillows seam-side down on the prepared baking tray. Brush the tops evenly with melted butter.
06 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the pillows are golden brown and cooked through.
07 - While the pillows bake, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute to form a roux.
08 - Gradually whisk in the whole milk, making sure no lumps form. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
09 - Stir in the grated Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and fold in the chopped parsley.
10 - Arrange the warm chicken pillows on plates and spoon the creamy Parmesan sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That golden crescent crust shatters like a flaky little gift wrapping around creamy, savory chicken that tastes like someone spent hours on it.
- The parmesan sauce is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything, from pasta to a spoon held directly over the pot.
- Using rotisserie chicken means you can pull this off on your most exhausted evening and still feel like a kitchen hero.
02 -
- Overstuffing the crescent triangles will cause them to burst open during baking, so keep the filling modest and trust that the flavors are concentrated enough.
- Adding the cheese off the heat prevents the sauce from breaking or turning oily, which is a mistake I made more times than I care to admit before learning this trick.
03 -
- Wet your hands slightly when handling the filling to keep it from sticking to your fingers and to help seal the dough edges more effectively.
- Grate the parmesan as finely as you can manage, because smaller shreds melt faster and create a smoother sauce with no stray strings or clumps.