Chicken and Bacon in Puff Pastry

By
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/22/21
Chicken and bacon in puff pastry

The Spruce

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Puff pastry seems to make almost anything seem special, and when filled with creamy chicken and crispy bacon, this recipe becomes an elegant and easy main dish. The combination of bacon, chicken, onion, and cream cheese in flaky frozen puff pastry is perfect for company, yet it's so easy to make you can serve it on a weeknight.

You can make the filling ahead of time, then assemble the little bundles and bake just before you're ready to eat. If you have any on hand, use leftover cooked chopped chicken; cook just the onion and combine all of the filling ingredients, and then proceed as directed.

If you'd like some added flavor, include fresh herbs like tarragon or parsley in the recipe, either along with or in place of the thyme. Serve the filled pastry pockets with some peas drizzled with butter or a simple green salad tossed with cherry tomatoes, and glasses of iced tea.

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme)

  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

  • 1 large egg, beaten

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

    Ingredients for Chicken and Bacon in Puff Pastry
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  2. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until crisp.

    Cook bacon
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  3. Remove the bacon from the pan, drain on paper towels, crumble, and set aside. Drain the drippings from the pan but do not wipe out.

    Remove bacon from pan
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  4. Add the olive oil to the pan and add the chicken and onion. Cook together until the onion is tender and the chicken is no longer pink, 7 to 8 minutes.

    Add olive oil to pan
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  5. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and onion from the pan to a medium bowl.

    Remove chicken
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  6. Add the cream cheese and bacon to the chicken mixture, along with the thyme, and mix well.

    Add cream cheese and bacon
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  7. Gently roll out each puff pastry sheet in both directions to make it a bit larger.

    Roll out puff pastry
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  8. Cut each sheet into thirds following the fold lines of the pastry. Then cut in half across the strips to make 6 rectangles from each sheet.

    Cut sheet into thirds
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  9. Put 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each of 6 of the rectangles on one sheet of pastry.

    Put chicken mixture on pastry
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  10. Top with the other 6 rectangles and gently stretch the top rectangles to fit. 

    Top the pastry
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  11. Seal the pastry edges and press with a fork.

    Seal pastry with fork
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  12. Place each filled rectangle on a cookie sheet and brush with the beaten egg.

    Brush beaten egg on pastry
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  13. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is a deep golden brown.

    bake until golden brown
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  14. Remove the pastries to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before serving (the filling is very hot).

    Cool on wire rack
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  15. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • Instead of draining all of the bacon drippings and adding olive oil, you can keep 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the pan to cook the chicken and onion. This will impart a smokier flavor to the filling.
  • If you think you need a stronger seal between the two pieces of puff pastry, you can brush the beaten egg around the edges of the bottom piece before topping it with the other rectangle of pastry.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
378 Calories
26g Fat
9g Carbs
27g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 378
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 11g 54%
Cholesterol 132mg 44%
Sodium 393mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 59mg 5%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 310mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)