Chicken Pillows With Creamy Parmesan (Print Version)
Flaky crescent dough stuffed with seasoned chicken, topped with velvety parmesan sauce
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken Pillows
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 10 oz)
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 refrigerated crescent dough (8 pieces)
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 (about 1.8 oz)
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, softened cream cheese, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
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, spacing them evenly. Brush the tops generously with melted butter.
06 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the dough is 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 pour in the milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and whisking for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
09 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth. 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 -
- The crescent dough creates a flaky golden shell that makes everyone think you spent hours on this.
- That parmesan sauce is so good you will catch yourself eating it off a spoon before the pillows even come out of the oven.
02 -
- Overstuffing the triangles is tempting but the filling will burst out during baking, so keep each portion roughly the size of a golf ball.
- Adding the parmesan off the heat prevents the sauce from turning grainy or breaking, which I discovered after ruining two batches before a dinner party.
03 -
- Wet your fingers slightly when sealing the dough edges because a tiny bit of moisture acts like glue and prevents the pillows from opening up in the oven.
- Taste the parmesan sauce before serving and add salt only if needed because the cheese itself brings a surprising amount of seasoning to the finished sauce.