These chicken filo parcels are loaded with great flavours, chicken and mushroom. They make a meal that’s equally delicious as it is impressive. Leek adds its mild and sweet onion flavour, while some garlic, then herbs and spices from the spice rack give it all an incredible taste. Finally, sour cream gives it a light yet luscious creamy sauce. All that wrapped up in crispy golden filo, yep, it’s as good as it sounds.
When I first started cooking, long before this blog, these chicken filos were one of the very first recipes that I created on my own. Cosy and comforting, they make me smile and, finally, I’m sharing them with you.
It’s flavour-packed and comforting but a little bit fancy. And, while it’s perfect with chicken thighs cooked from scratch, it’s also a really great way to jazz up leftover chicken (or maybe turkey leftover from your fast-approaching holiday meals, eek). You could even use leftovers from these prosciutto wrapped chicken breasts.
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Ingredients
Jump to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
- Chicken: You’ll want raw boneless skinless chicken thighs. You can use chicken breast however it has the potential to dry out quicker. You can also swap the raw chicken for leftover rotisserie chicken, roast chicken or even your Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey!
- Leek: Instead of onion, leek is the star of the show here. It’s a milder, sweeter onion flavour and wonderful with both chicken and mushrooms.
- Mushrooms: It’s best to use brown mushrooms here like Swiss brown mushrooms (aka cremini, baby bella or chestnut). White button mushrooms work, they just have a much milder flavour.
- Oil and butter: A little oil is used for cooking but some is also used for brushing over the filo pastry parcels. They’re also brushed with butter at the end and the two combined make the filo wonderfully crispy.
- Spices: Fresh garlic adds a great flavour boost and from your spice rack, grab some dried sage and mustard powder. Don’t skip the mustard, please, it makes such a huge difference. Even if you think you don’t like mustard. I promise you won’t taste a big mustardy kick.
- Chicken stock: You can use chicken stock or chicken broth. You can also use vegetable stock if that’s what you have on hand but it will change the flavour slightly.
- Sour cream adds a lovely creaminess to the sauce/gravy. You can use light or full fat sour cream, they both work.
- Filo pastry sheets: Also spelt phyllo pastry, these are for encasing that wonderful filling. It’s light and has the most amazing texture.
How to make chicken filo parcels
These delicious chicken pastry parcels are super easy to make. You will need to be patient while the filling chills before wrapping it up and baking, but you can make it ahead, so there’s that little gem.
Jump to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Cook the chicken
You only need to partially cook the chicken but make sure to get some nice brown bits for added flavour. Dust the chicken with flour first, then simply add it to a pan with hot oil and cook for a few minutes before turning over and sealing the other side. You don’t need to cook it through at this point. You just want it sealed and a little browned.
2. Cook the vegetables
Set the chicken aside for a few minutes, while you add leek, chopped mushrooms and garlic to the pan. Cook until the leek is softened and juices released have evaporated. As you cook the veggies, make sure to move them around every so often, using their moisture to lift any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. That’s flavour you don’t want to leave behind.
3. Start the creamy gravy
Add the chicken stock, some mustard and dried sage then add the chicken back and let it all simmer for 3-4 minutes until nice and thick (the flour on the outside of the chicken will thicken it up).
Even if you think you don’t like it, don’t leave that mustard out. You won’t taste mustard in the finished dish but it adds amazing flavour.
4. Add the sour cream and chill
Stir in the sour cream then taste. Add a little salt and pepper if you want it. Tip the mixture into a bowl and chill in the fridge until cold before using it (place a tea towel under the dish in the fridge so the heat doesn’t damage your shelves). This can take an hour or two, depending on the bowl you use but you can cook the filling 2-3 days in advance. Win!
5. Wrap the chicken filos
Now, it’s time to get wrapping. These are best done close to baking, immediately before is best, or the pastry can soften from the gravy. However, you could freeze them immediately after wrapping if you want to make these for another time.
Start by taking 2 sheets of filo pastry and brush the top one with a little oil. Don’t go overboard but make sure it’s lightly covered all over – this helps it to crisp up.
Top that with a third sheet of filo, making sure to leave the remaining pastry covered with a damp tea towel so it doesn’t dry out. Place a quarter of your chicken filling mixture in the middle of the half of the sheet closest to you (with a short edge facing you).
Now, just fold it up. First, fold the pastry border closest to you over the filling, then fold the sides over the top. Brush them with oil, then fold it over and over until you get to the end.
6. Bake
Place the chicken filo pastries onto a baking tray and brush with melted butter, then bake for around 30 minutes until golden and crunchy.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t let the pastry sheets dry out: While you’re preparing and wrapping each of the chicken parcels, make sure to leave a lightly damp tea towel over the remaining filo to stop it drying out.
- You can make the filling ahead of time: You can cook the chicken filling 2-3 days ahead of time then assemble and bake the chicken parcels when you’re ready.
- Use leftover chicken or even turkey: Dice up leftover rotisserie chicken or roast turkey (you’ll need about 2 ½ cups) and use that instead of the chicken thighs. If you do this, add the flour to the vegetable mixture and cook it in for a minute before adding the stock.
- If you want to dress up the outside, sprinkle over some sesame seeds before baking.
Storage
Leftover chicken filo parcels should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days (from the time the chicken was cooked). You can reheat your chicken filos in the airfryer for 10 minutes or in the oven for 15 minutes, at 180C/350F.
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Ingredients
- 400 g skinless boneless chicken thighs trimmed of fat and cut into small cubes
- 1 ½ tablespoons plain flour (all-purp flour)
- 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- 200 g swiss brown mushrooms (cremini, baby bella, chestnut) chopped roughly
- 1 medium leek washed thoroughly & sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried sage not ground
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ¾ cup chicken stock (or chicken broth)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12 sheets filo pastry thawed but cold
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for brushing
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- saucepan, skillet or frying pan
- Pastry brush
Instructions
- Dust the chicken in the flour.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat for a minute then add the chicken and spread it out. Let the chicken cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown underneath, then flip over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until completely sealed. It doesn’t need to be cooked through.
- Set the chicken aside on a plate and add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the mushrooms, leek and garlic and cook until the leek has softened and most of the liquid that comes from the veggies has evaporated. Stir it often and use the liquid from the vegetables to scrape up any brown from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, along with the sage, mustard powder and stock and stir well to combine. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in the sour cream then taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to a bowl and chill until cold before using.
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan forced) / 400F and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Lay out two sheets of filo pastry, keeping a damp tea towel of the stack of remaining filo so it doesn’t dry out. Brush the top of the two sheets with a little oil, then lay another filo sheet on top.
- Add ¼ of the chicken mixture to one end of the filo about 1 inch from the short edge. Fold the short edge up to the filling, then fold each side over as well so they almost meet in the middle. Now, fold it up, brushing the filo on top with a little more oil with each fold.
- Place the chicken parcel seam side down onto the baking sheet and brush the parcel over the top and sides with the melted butter. Repeat with 3 more parcels.
- Bake for around 30 minutes until golden and crisp on the outside.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- You can use leftover cooked chicken or turkey too – you’ll need about 2 1/2 cups, diced. If using leftover chicken, add the flour to the veggies at the end of step 3 and cook it in, stirring, for a minute before proceeding.
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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4 Comments on “Chicken Filo Parcels”
Delicious recipe. I changed nothing.
I’m thinking of making thee again for a Christmas get-together, but using the filling for supermarket vol au vents.
I’m so happy you love them, Ann. Yes, the filling would be great in vol au vents too!
When does the flour go into the cooking process?
Hi Lyn. It’s in the very first step 🙂