Ingredients
Chicken Pillows
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried chives
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or Crescent Creations
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Italian style bread crumbs
Sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons flour
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or greased foil to prepare for baking the chicken pillows.
- Prepare Filling: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add onion powder, dried chives, sliced green onions, and shredded cooked chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly to combine.
- Assemble Pillows: Unroll the crescent roll dough and pinch the seams to form four rectangles per sheet, totaling eight rectangles. Spoon about half a cup of the chicken mixture onto the center of each rectangle. Bring the corners of the dough together over the filling and pinch to seal tightly.
- Coat Pillows: In separate dishes, combine the Panko and Italian bread crumbs in one and melted butter in the other. Dip or brush each sealed chicken pillow with melted butter, then roll it in the breadcrumb mixture to coat evenly. Place each pillow on the prepared baking sheet seam-side down.
- Bake: Bake the chicken pillows in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and crispy.
- Make Sauce: While the pillows bake, melt the butter for the sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes until golden and bubbly. Gradually whisk in the milk, then add chicken bouillon (if using), salt, and pepper. Continue stirring and cooking for about 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens, adjusting heat to avoid burning.
- Finish Sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Stir in the sour cream, and thin the sauce with additional milk if needed for desired consistency.
- Serve: Serve the warm chicken pillows topped with the rich Parmesan cream sauce for a satisfying meal.
- Freezing Instructions: To prepare for freezing instead of baking, place assembled chicken pillows on the baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours until solid. Transfer them to a large resealable freezer bag and keep frozen for up to one month.
- Reheating After Freezing: When ready to eat, thaw the chicken pillows completely and bake following the original baking instructions (375°F for 20-25 minutes) until golden and heated through.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened to easily blend the filling.
- Pinch seams of crescent roll dough well to prevent filling leakage during baking.
- Use either Panko, Italian bread crumbs, or a mix for a crispier coating.
- The sauce can be thinned with extra milk if it becomes too thick.
- Chicken bouillon in the sauce is optional but adds a deeper chicken flavor.
- Chicken pillows freeze well; ensure they are fully frozen before transferring to freezer bags.
- For quicker prep, use rotisserie chicken as the shredded chicken filling.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and gently reheated.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
