Puff Pastry Poultry

That could be just about any kind of poultry inside that baby, couldn't it? Is it chicken? Is it turkey?

Does it really matter? It's good so who cares, right?

I mean...this time of year everyone will soon be trying to decide what to do with the leftover turkey (besides turkey sandwiches for the next 5 days...with stuffing and cranberry sauce smeared all over a fat slice of sour dough bread)...well, in my book any recipe that calls for cooked chicken is fair game for leftover turkey.

I found this recipe inside the box of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry several years ago and I haven't made it since. My kids loved it...I thought it was good. So what was my problem? My favorite grocery store only carries puff pastry during the holidays. They think it's a seasonal item. huh??

Whatever

Anyways...for some odd, blame-it-on-the-cosmos reason, I remembered to pick up some puff pastry at the store the other day. Only the recipe wasn't inside the box anymore. Thank God for the internet cuz Pepperidge Farm has a website and I found their Herbed Chicken in Pastry recipe.

Then I remembered something about the original recipe that didn't thrill me. (lights are one and someone might be home....taking a nap perhaps?) The single slab of chicken breast. It was thick....and a real pain in the ass to get all wrapped in the pastry. And I'm not real fond of pre-seasoned cheese spreads.

So I started altering things......juuuuuuust a teeny tiny bit, but it was enough to make it that much better. And I wanted more the next day except the girls ate it all.

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 sheet of pastry puff, thawed
Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
8 oz whipped cream cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (or to taste)
1/2 tsp dried parsley (or to taste)
1 egg
1 TB water

Preheat your oven to 400' F.

Season the chicken with pepper and saute the meat in a hot skillet with the butter, melted. Once it's cooked through, just set it aside. If you're using leftover meat, you can saute it a bit if you'd like, or just cut it into chunks and move on.

While that is going, mix together your cream cheese, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and parsley

Lookie at all those flavors. I was so tempted to just stick my finger in there and each it!

On a floured surface, carefully unfold your pastry sheet and roll it out until it is a 14" square.

It's amazing the stuff I can find in that one "special" drawer that you know we all have in the kitchen. Besides my measuring tape, I think I have a small hammer, fire crackers, exacto knife, a handle to something...a long flexible tube? hmm that might go to my food saver that I keep forgetting that I have. The only reason I have a garage is because my scroll saw won't fit in that drawer.

Aaaaaand....lets move along folks...Cut the pastry sheet into 4 - 7" squares

Now...spread about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture in the center of each square. Divide the chicken or turkey evenly amongst the squares. Then pull each corner to the center and pinch 'em so they seal.

Looking at this....ya know what I'm thinkin? (probably the same thing you are)...hmmm...what else can I put in there! With turkey? add some stuffing!!! Chicken? add some capers and lemon juice or sauteed mushrooms and onions. Ham? How 'bout some cheese and pineapple....oooh....add some Pineapple Casserole.

Ok...enough!!! Somebody sssssstop me!!!

Now place them on a baking sheet, seam side down. Beat the egg and water together and brush each pastry with the egg mixture

Toss 'em in the oven for about 25 minutes, until the pastries are that nice golden brown.

Cool for about 10 minutes (leave them on the baking sheet while cooling) and serve.

One of my favorite changes to this recipe is cutting the chicken up. It allowed the cheese to ooze in between all the chunks and really distribute the flavor.

Now I'm just going to have to stock up on the pastry sheets before they disappear from my grocery store ....again. After the holidays, they probably won't be seen until Easter.

And having said all that, I hope this gives you at least one more "leftover" turkey recipe idea.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!