This chicken Alouette recipe always adds a touch of fancy to any weeknight. I top juicy chicken breasts with Dijon and creamy garlic & herb Alouette cheese before wrapping them in flaky puff pastry. Baked to crisp, golden-brown perfection, this pastry wrapped chicken dish looks gourmet, but it only requires a few ingredients, and it’s so easy to make!
Pastry Wrapped Alouette Chicken
You know the saying “good things come in small packages”? Well, that’s certainly the case for this Alouette chicken! Not only is it beautiful to look at, but it also tastes fantastic. I first encountered this recipe in one of my mom’s copies of Southern Living, and it’s stuck with me ever since.
The combo of flaky pastry, tender chicken, and that rich garlic-herb spread is pure comfort. I’ll walk you through the easy method for creating the braided puff pastry top so your chicken with Alouette cheese bakes up beautifully every time.
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Quick Tip for Evenly Cooked Chicken
If your chicken breasts are large or on the thicker side, pound them to an even thickness before seasoning and wrapping in pastry. Place each breast between sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet (or another heavy utensil) to gently flatten. This simple step helps the chicken cook evenly inside the puff pastry so it stays perfectly moist and tender.
Chicken Alouette Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 17.25 ounces frozen puff pastry sheets (1 package, thawed)
- 4 ounces garlic & herb Alouette cheese (1 container*)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (**)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl and set it aside.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water
- Unfold the pastry sheets, and roll each sheet into a 14×12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.17.25 ounces frozen puff pastry sheets
- Cut one sheet into four 7×6-inch rectangles.
- Cut the second sheet in half and set one half aside, then cut the other half into four even rectangles.
- Spread each 7×6 rectangle evenly with 1 ounce of cheese and a bit of mustard.4 ounces garlic & herb Alouette cheese, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and place each one face down in the center of each pastry.4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Place one of the smaller rectangles of pastry over the empty part of the chicken. Lightly brush the edges with the egg wash, then fold the corners of the larger pastry up over the chicken and press them against the smaller pastry. Fold the sides up and over, and press to seal, creating a package around the chicken. Place each bundle, pretty side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Brush them with egg wash.
- Cut the remaining pastry rectangle into several skinny strips. Take 3 strips and braid them together, using them to decorate the chicken packages as desired with other shorter pieces of pastry, tucking the excess ends under. Repeat with all the chicken packages, brushing the decorative strips with egg wash.
- Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400°F. Bake on the lower oven rack for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
- Allow to cool slightly, then serve as desired.
Notes
- If your chicken breasts are large/thick, you may want to pound them to an even thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Pat the chicken extra dry before seasoning and wrapping to help the pastry crisp beautifully all the way around.
- If the dough starts feeling soft while you’re assembling, pop the pieces back in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to firm up before wrapping the chicken.
- Roll the pastry rather than stretching it. Stretching can cause shrinking and/or tearing in the oven. If a piece is too small, roll it out with a rolling pin.
- Don’t skip or shorten the chill time, or the pastry will not turn out crisp.
- Baking on the lower rack helps the bottom brown evenly and keeps the pastry from staying pale or doughy.
- Check for doneness by insert your thermometer through the bottom seam. This keeps the steam inside and gives a more accurate reading.
- Properly cooked chicken should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Let the pastries rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the cheese to firm up and the juices to redistribute.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Is Alouette the same thing as Boursin?
Yes and no. Alouette and Boursin are both creamy cheese spreads with herbs, but they have different flavor profiles. Depending on your taste preferences, you could use either in this recipe.
How to Make Chicken Alouette Step by Step
Prep: Gather up everything you need to make this Alouette chicken recipe. Thaw the puff pastry, either overnight in the refrigerator or for 30-60 minutes on the counter. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Make an egg wash by whisking together 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon of water, and set it aside.
Cut the Puff Pastry: Using a 17.25-ounce package of (thawed) frozen puff pastry sheets and a pizza or pastry wheel/cutter, unfold the pastry sheets, and roll each one into a 14×12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cut one sheet into four 7×6-inch rectangles. Cut the second sheet in half and set one half aside; then cut the other half into four even rectangles.
Add the Cheese: Evenly divide 4 ounces of garlic & herb Alouette cheese and 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard to make 4 servings. Spread each of the four 7×6 rectangles evenly with 1 ounce of cheese and a bit of mustard.
Place the Chicken: Pat each of the 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If they seem too thick, you can pound them to an even thickness so they all cook at the same rate. Sprinkle them with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Then place each chicken breast face down in the center of each pastry rectangle.
Wrap the Chicken in Puff Pastry: Work with one piece of chicken at a time. Place one of the smaller rectangles of pastry over the empty part of the chicken. Lightly brush the edges with the egg wash, then fold the corners of the larger pastry up over the chicken and press them against the smaller pastry. Fold the sides up and over, and press to seal, creating a package around the chicken. Place each bundle, pretty side up, on the prepared baking sheet, and brush with more egg wash. If the dough to feel soft while you’re assembling, pop it back in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to firm up before wrapping the chicken.
Add the Puff Pastry Braid: Cut the remaining pastry rectangle into several skinny strips. Take 3 strips of dough and braid them together, then use them to decorate the chicken packages as desired, with other shorter pieces of pastry, tucking the excess ends under. Repeat with each chicken bundle, and brush the decorative strips with egg wash.
Chill the Chicken: Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. This ensures the dough doesn’t melt in the oven, stays intact, and gets fluffy and crisp.
Bake the Chicken: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake your pastry wrapped chicken on the lower oven rack (to help the bottom brown) for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through to 165°F. I recommend checking for doneness along one of the bottom seams to keep the steam in!
Serve the Chicken: Allow your Alouette chicken to cool slightly before serving as desired. This helps firm up the filling. I like to serve it with pasta and/or veggies!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover pastry wrapped chicken Alouette in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. This will ensure the pastry crisps back up beautifully!
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