Chicken En Croute - Fast But Fancy!

Chicken En Croute - sounds a bit fancy, right? Using my quick and easy cheat, you will get moist chicken covered in oozy mozzarella and crisp, crunchy pastry in a little over half an hour. Fast but fancy!

For my chicken en croute recipe, I stack up some chicken breasts with fresh mozzarella cheese, tomato, and basil pesto, then lay on top some strips of puff pastry so the chicken bakes up with that crispy, flaky "en croute" flair without the soggy pastry bottom!

Yup, impressive French-sounding food in your kitchen any night of the week!

So, what does en croute mean?

The French term "en croute" (in crust) refers to food that is wrapped in pastry and then baked in the oven.

Plus, in the case of my chicken en croute recipe, wrapped in store bought puff pastry. Like I said, fast but fancy!

Why you will love chicken en croute

• 5 ingredients!
• Chicken. Cheese. Pastry. All the good stuff.
• Pastry stays crisp, no soggy bottoms here.
• Less pastry means less cost and less calories.

What you need to make chicken en croute

• chicken breasts
• basil pesto
• fresh mozzarella
• fresh tomato
• store bought puff pastry
• salt and pepper

*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions

Step by step photos

1. Brush your chicken breasts with basil pesto.
2. Place mozzarella slices on top of pesto.
3. Brush a little extra pesto on top of mozzarella slices.
4. Top with slices of fresh tomato plus salt and pepper.
5. Top each breast with strips of puff pastry, tucking under to fit.
6. Bake.

Top tips

• Try and choose chicken breasts that are similar in size, that way they bake up evenly.
• Pounding out the thicker end of each breast also helps them cook evenly.
• You could substitute shredded mozzarella for the fresh if you prefer.
• If your pastry strips aren't quite long enough to tuck under the edge of the chicken just give them a bit of a gentle stretch to fit.
• I use my homemade pesto basilico (basil pesto) recipe, I always have a stash in the fridge! You can sub in store bought pesto too, the chicken will still be amazing!
• Feel free to use as much (or as little!) basil pesto as you like, depending on your taste.

Variations and serving suggestions

• Change up the pesto flavour and use sun-dried tomato pesto instead.
• A slice of ham under the mozzarella cheese would be a nice touch.
• I like to serve this chicken en croute with a simple green salad on the side.

Watch me make it

Other recipes you may enjoy

Tuscan Chicken Thighs - tender chicken thighs smothered in a parmesan cream sauce packed with semi dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic and bacon.

Oven Baked Chicken Pasta - rotisserie chicken, smoky bacon and pasta all coated in a simple 2 ingredient cheese sauce.

Individual Stuffed Chicken Roasts - Roast chicken on a weeknight? The answer is my Chicken Mini Roast with Stuffing. Roast chicken, stuffing & gravy in under 1 hour!

Lee-Ann ♥

Easy Chicken En Croute (Fast But Fancy!)

0.5x1x2x3x

Chicken En Croute - chicken breasts with sliced mozzarella, tomato and pesto then topped with puff pastry strips and oven baked.

Print Pin Rate

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 409kcal

Author: Lee-Ann Grace

Ingredients

MetricUS customary

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoon basil pesto
• 125 g fresh mozzarella ball thinly sliced
• 1 tomato thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Pre heat oven to 210c, and line a rimmed baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
  Take your pastry sheet out of the freezer to thaw while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• 4 chicken breasts
  Using a meat mallet (or something else heavy!) lightly pound out the thicker end of each breast, just to make them the same thickness all over.
• 4 tablespoon basil pesto
  Place breasts on to the prepared tray, then spread 2 teaspoon of basil pesto onto each breast.
• 125 g fresh mozzarella ball
  Place sliced mozzarella on top of the pesto, then roughly spread another 2 teaspoon of basil pesto on top of mozzarella. 
• 1 tomato

  salt and pepper
  Place sliced tomato on top of final pesto layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then set aside briefly.
• With a sharp knife, divide the sheet of puff pastry into quarters. Then cut each individual quarter into 4 even strips.
• Place 4 strips over each chicken breast leaving space between each strip. Tuck the ends of the pastry under the chicken, stretching slightly to fit if needed (watch me make them in the short video above the recipe).
• Bake for 20 mins, or until chicken is cooked through.

Notes

• Try and choose chicken breasts that are similar in size, that way they bake up evenly.
• Pounding out the thicker end of each breast also helps them cook evenly.
• You could substitute shredded mozzarella for the fresh if you prefer.
• I use my homemade pesto basilico (basil pesto) recipe, I always have a stash in the fridge! You can sub in store bought pesto too, the chicken will still be amazing!
• Feel free to use as much (or as little!) basil pesto as you like, depending on your taste.

*Please note that the amount of calories per serve is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*