Chicken Pillows Creamy Parmesan (Printable)
Golden crescent-wrapped chicken bundles with silky parmesan cream sauce
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken Pillows
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 10.5 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 black pepper to taste
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
08 - 1 can (8 pieces) refrigerated crescent roll 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
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, softened cream cheese, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix 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. Roll each triangle from the wide end toward the point, tucking in the sides to seal and form a pillow shape.
04 - Place the filled pillows seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Brush the tops with melted butter for a golden finish.
05 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the pillows are golden brown and cooked through.
06 - While the pillows bake, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute to form a roux.
07 - Gradually pour in the whole milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and whisking for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
08 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg until smooth and creamy. Fold in the chopped parsley.
09 - Arrange the warm chicken pillows on plates and ladle the creamy Parmesan sauce generously over each one. Serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The combination of creamy filling inside flaky golden dough feels like something you ordered at a restaurant, but it comes together with zero stress on a weeknight.
- That parmesan sauce is the kind of thing you will want to pour over everything, from mashed potatoes to roasted vegetables, once you taste it.
02 -
- Do not overstuff the dough triangles or the filling will burst out during baking and leave you with messy, uneven pillows.
- Whisk the milk into the roux gradually rather than all at once, because dumping it in too fast is the fastest path to a lumpy sauce.
03 -
- Cream cheese that is fully softened mixes in seconds, so plan ahead and set it on the counter while you prep everything else.
- A microplane grater makes quick work of fresh nutmeg and parmesan, and the fine texture melts invisibly into the sauce.