Decadent Chicken Pillows Garlic Parmesan (Print Version)

Tender chicken and cheese wrapped in flaky dough with a buttery garlic Parmesan sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
02 - 1 cup cream cheese, softened
03 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
06 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Dough

07 - 1 package refrigerated crescent roll dough, 8-count

→ Garlic Parmesan Sauce

08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Garnish

11 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, blend shredded chicken, cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic powder, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined.
03 - Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into 8 individual triangles.
04 - Place a spoonful of chicken mixture onto the wide end of each triangle. Fold dough over filling and pinch edges securely to create pillow shapes.
05 - Position chicken pillows on prepared baking sheet with even spacing between each piece.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, and grated Parmesan cheese.
07 - Brush the tops of each pillow generously with garlic Parmesan mixture using a pastry brush.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and puffed.
09 - Allow pillows to rest for 5 to 10 minutes after removing from oven.
10 - Garnish with chopped parsley and serve while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling is so forgiving that you can use rotisserie chicken without anyone knowing you took a shortcut.
  • Garlic butter makes everything taste like you spent way more time than you actually did.
  • They look fancy enough for unexpected guests but simple enough to make on a random Wednesday.
02 -
  • Cold cream cheese and dough are your friends, so don't leave ingredients on the counter warming up thinking it makes things easier—it makes filling impossible.
  • The filling can be made hours ahead and stored in the fridge, so this is a great make-ahead dinner strategy for when you're actually cooking.
03 -
  • Use a pastry brush to apply the garlic butter evenly, which sounds fancy but is actually the secret to pillows that look professionally baked.
  • If your crescent dough tears while unrolling, just pinch it back together—the seams will seal during baking and nobody will ever know about your small accident.
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