Puff Pastry Rocks!

We filled the buttery crisp dough with savory Buffalo Chicken Dip and baked it until it was warm and gooey! Your guests (and your family) will love this quick & easy appetizer!

I made this recipe for our neighborhood Thirsty Thursday gathering and it was a hit! As in, there were merely crumbs left at the end of the evening.

How to Assemble the Stromboli

• Thaw the puff pastry sheets at room temperature for about 40 minutes
• Unwrap and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet
• Generously fill the center third of the dough with cold buffalo chicken dip
• Sprinkle with green onion and crumbled blue cheese

• Using a pairing knife, cut 12 strips into the left and right thirds of the dough
• Alternate folding strips over filling, overlapping as you go
• Trim the last strips if necessary
• Brush with beaten egg
• Bake at 375 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown

The great thing about this Simple Buffalo Chicken Braided Stromboli recipe is everyone loves Buffalo Chicken Dip AND the result looks fancy, but is super easy to assemble.

The flavor pairings for these puff pastry Stromboli’s are endless. We’ve done Sausage, Peppers & Caramelized Onion; Bacon, Egg & Cheese; and Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Simple Buffalo Chicken Braided Stromboli

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Time to Thaw Puff Pastry 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened & cubed
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• 1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken a rotisserie chicken works well
• 3 scallions thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 17.3 ounce box frozen puff pastry (2 sheets) thawed
• 1 large egg beaten

Instructions

• Thaw puff pastry at room temperature for 40-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

For the Buffalo Chicken Dip

• Meanwhile, prepare buffalo chicken dip. In a medium pan over medium heat, combine cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, ranch dressing and Frank's Hot Sauce. Stir until melted and fulled combined. Remove from heat and fold in shredded chicken. Cool.
• Unfold pastry sheets. Generously fill center third of each sheet with cooled buffalo chicken dip. Sprinkle each with half the sliced scallions and 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese.
• Using a pairing knife, cut 12 strips into the left and right thirds of each pastry sheet, as shown in the images above. Alternate folding strips over filling, creating a 'braid'. Trim last strips if necessary. Brush tops with beaten egg.
• Bake at 375° F. for 35-40 minutes until tops of pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool slightly. Slice and enjoy!

The post Simple Buffalo Chicken Braided Stromboli appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Asparagus & Goat Cheese Tart

Asparagus lined one side of my grandfather Boppy’s garden, the only barrier between me and the glorious blueberry bushes.  It seemed with each days passing it grew a foot taller.  It’s feathering shoots locked hands making it nearly impossible to pass through.  I had no use for it when I was eight. 

This was not your everyday backyard garden.  As I recall it was at least the size of a football field.  Yes, I realize that would be highly unlikely.  However, as a kid who stood no more than 4ft tall, the garden rows went on for miles.  Okay, also highly unlikely.  What I can say with certainty is this was the most beautiful garden I have ever seen.  Boppy had a way of teaching that completely captivated our attention.  We learned how to tell if carrots were ready to be plucked by gently running our little fingers around tip of the fruit.   We also learned that a bit of dirt won’t hurt you and there’s nothing like fresh produce straight from the garden.

There was not a weed to be found in this gigantic garden (it really was big).  This was due in great part to the fact that for spare change we would gladly pull weeds all morning to take our earnings down to the corner Penny Candy Store in the afternoons.   As I grew, the garden got smaller.  My grandparents aged, and I became more interested in boys than gardening.  My time in the garden slowly dwindled.  What I would give now to spend another morning in the garden with Boppy.  All the things I would ask him.  Like how to know when it’s time to pick the asparagus.  Seems I may have a use for it now.

When I saw this Asparagus & Goat Cheese Tart from James & Everett I knew I had to make it.  I was already on a puff pastry kick and the asparagus is absolutely gorgeous right now.  I was a bit giddy just thinking about this loveliness.

To begin the puff pastry is rolled out on a floured surface to about a 16″x10″ rectangle.  You then fold in about 1″ of the edges to make a frame.  Gently score just inside the folded edge with a sharp knife.  At every 1/2″ interval, use a fork to pierce the dough.   Then bake the prepared pastry at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese over the top of the pastry.  Cut the ends off the precooked aparagus leaving just the right length to fit between the pastry frame.  Place the spears side by side, alternating direction until the goat cheese is covered.

Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender.  Allow to rest 5 minutes before cutting.

I served this tart with brunch, however it would make a wonderful appetizer.

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Asparagus & Goat Cheese Tart

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author James & Everett

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 1 1/2 cups goat cheese crumbles
• 1 1/2 lbs. asparagus steamed until just tender and bright green.
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• sea salt & freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Roll the puff pastry out on a floured surface to about a 16″x10″ rectangle. Fold in about 1″ of the edges to make a frame. Gently score just inside the folded edge with a sharp knife. At every 1/2″ interval, use a fork to pierce the dough. Then bake the prepared pastry for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese over the top of the pastry. Cut the ends off the precooked asparagus leaving just the right length to fit between the pastry frame. Place the spears side by side, alternating direction until the goat cheese is covered.
• Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender. Allow to rest 5 minutes before cutting.

The post Asparagus & Goat Cheese Tart appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

However the star ingredient and what brings it all together is the puff pastry sheet.  I recommend keeping a box in your freezer for just such an occasion.

I combined steamed broccoli & carrots, cooked chicken, and sautéed onion with cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese.  Simply season to taste and you’re ready build your Stromboli.

Puff pastry is folded in thirds, making a great template for this crisscrossed braided method.  Simply cut strips into the two outer thirds, leaving the middle uncut.  Place a generous amount of the filling down the center, then overlap with the outer pastry strips.

Brush the top of the Stromboli with a beaten egg, then bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

We devoured our Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Stromboli declaring it dinner.  However I can definitely see this as a great Game Day snack with endless filling options.  I’m already envisioning a Thanksgiving Leftovers Stromboli.  You might also like our Sausage, Peppers & Caramelized Onion Stromboli.  Have fun with it and let me know how you fill yours.

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Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Stromboli

This Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Stromboli recipe could easily be adapted to ingredients already in your fridge and pantry. 

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cups cooked chicken cubed or shredded
• 2 cups steamed broccoli
• 1 cup steamed julienned carrots
• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 egg beaten

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Steam broccoli and carrots until just fork tender, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. Add in cooked chicken, cream cheese, and shredded cheddar. Stir to combine then gently fold in steamed broccoli and carrots. Season to taste.
• Place puff pastry on parchment lined baking sheet. Cut about 12 strips into the outer thirds of the pastry, leaving center uncut.
• Mound filling down the center of the pastry. Crisscross strips of pastry over filling, overlapping as you go. Brush top of Stromboli with beaten egg.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

The post Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Stromboli appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Blackened Chicken Pot Pie.  Because sometimes you need to step outside your comfort zone.

I offered two choices for dinner.  Would you like Pasta with Blackened Chicken or Chicken Pot Pie?  The response, Yes.  And the Blackened Chicken Pot Pie was born.

Let’s be honest here, THE motivation for every pot pie I’ve ever made was…the crust.  It’s our weakness.  Naturally then when I set out to make this  Blackened Chicken Pot Pie my focus was on the crust and how to use the box of puff pastry already in my freezer.  Visited the Pepperidge Farm website and that’s where I saw the lattice crust.

Each box of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry has two sheets.  Cut each one into 10 – 12 strips.  Weave them as shown above into a lattice crust, then transfer to a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes at 350 degrees until nice and golden brown.  Reserve.

Recipe note:  This was my first time ‘weaving’ puff pastry.  I was so proud of my perfect square until it occurred to me that it didn’t match the size of any of my pans.  Next time I will attempt a 9″x13″ finished size by cutting one sheet into strips length-wise and the other sheet width-wise.

While the crust is baking prepare your pot pie filling.

For the blackened chicken we made a dry seasoning mixture that consisted of fairly equal parts of black pepper, assorted ground chile peppers (cayenne, New Mexico, chipotle), cumin, garlic salt, coriander, smoked paprika, and celery seed.  Toss the bite-sized chicken pieces with the seasoning mixture, then pan sear all sides in butter/canola in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, working in batches until all the chicken is blackened.  Reserve cooked chicken pieces.

Working in the same pan, reduce heat to medium, add additional butter and saute veggies.  We typically start with a mire poix of onion, carrot, and celery.  I like to add diced cooked potato as well.  Pot Pies are a chance to use up the abundant ingredients in your fridge, go ahead and throw in that cooked broccoli or sweet potato, and feel free to add sliced leeks or fennel to your saute pan.  Once the veggies are crisp tender, dust them with a couple tablespoons of flour and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.  Then gradually whisk in broth and/or milk bringing the mixture to a boil.  Add additional liquid until the desired consistency is reached.  Add in the cooked chicken pieces and parsley.  Because we worked in the same pan as we blackened the chicken, there was no need to add additional seasoning :)  Remember, sometimes you need to step outside your comfort zone.

Pour mixture into a 9″x9″ baking dish and top with lattice crust.  Trim crust to fit or you can make the crust to fit your pan of choice (a novel idea I know).  Bake for about 20 minutes until filling is bubbly and crust is a deep golden brown.  Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.  I hope you enjoy this Blackened Chicken Pot Pie as much as we did and remember the moral of this story…when you give them choices be prepared to make them all.

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Blackened Chicken Pot Pie

Course Entree

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the lattice crust…

• 1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry thawed
• 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbl. water

For the blackened chicken…

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. chipotle pepper
• 1 tsp. New Mexico or ancho chile pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 1 Tbl. butter
• 1 Tbl. canola oil

For the pot pie filling…

• 1 Tbl. butter
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 carrots diced
• 3 celery stalks sliced
• 2 potatoes cooked & diced
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt to taste
• 3 Tbl. fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

For the lattice crust…

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Unfold pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface and cut each into strips about 1″ wide. Weave strips into a lattice crust. Transfer to a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly brush top with beaten egg/water. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove and set aside.

For the blackened chicken…

• Mix dry seasoning and toss with chicken pieces. Heat a cast-iron skillet or dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon each of butter and canola oil to the pan and add chicken pieces in batches, searing on all sides. Reserve cooked chicken pieces.

For the pie filling…

• Reduce the heat to medium and add butter to the skillet. Add the carrots, onions, and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in the broth and milk and heat to a boil. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Add additional liquid if too thick.

To assemble…

• Stir in the blackened chicken and 3 tablespoons parsley. Pour mixture into a 9″x9″ baking dish. Top with lattice crust, trim excess edges. Place the casserole onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the filling is hot and bubbling and the pastry is golden brown.

The post Blackened Chicken Pot Pie appeared first on Lemony Thyme.