Puff pastry
पफ पेस्ट्रीپف پیسٹری
paf pesṭrī
Frozen sheets, thawed in the fridge.
Its job: The flaky layers.
Science-backed recipe
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished
Chicken Puffs: Flaky, Bakery-Style
Also called Chicken Patties · Chicken Puff Pastry · चिकन पफ · چکن پف
Flaky, golden puff pastry around a spiced shredded-chicken filling, just like the patties from a Pakistani bakery.
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished - Active
- 1 hr 10 min
- Prep
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Serves
- 12 puffs
Why this recipe works
- ✓Store-bought puff pastryBakery results without laminating dough.
- ✓Instant Pot fillingSpiced and cooked dry so the pastry stays crisp.
- ✓Chai-time classicLike the patties from Pakistani and Indian bakeries.
- ✓Freezer-friendlyBake straight from frozen.
What are chicken puffs?
Puffs, or patties, are a fixture of Pakistani and Indian bakeries: squares of flaky puff pastry folded around a spiced filling and baked until golden. This version uses a spiced shredded-chicken filling and store-bought puff pastry, so it’s a weekend-afternoon project, not a baking marathon.
Meet the ingredients
The main ingredients, with their English, Hindi and Urdu names.
Egg
अंडाانڈا
anḍā
Beaten with water.
Its job: Golden, glossy egg wash.
Chicken thighs
चिकनچکن
chikan
Boneless, skinless.
Its job: The filling.
Grow it yourself: Green chilies, Cilantro (dhania), Garlic, Ginger
The lab notes
The science behind every step
Restaurant cooks do these things by habit. Here’s what each step is actually doing to the food, so you can cook by understanding instead of guesswork.
Lab note01
Cold pastry, hot oven
Keep the pastry cold and bake at 400°F.
Puff pastry is hundreds of thin layers of dough and butter. In a hot oven the water in the butter turns to steam, which pushes the layers apart before the butter melts into the dough. Warm pastry loses those layers.
Lab note02
Cool, dry filling
Cook the filling until dry and let it cool completely.
Warm or wet filling melts the butter layers and steams the pastry from inside, so the bottom turns soggy instead of flaky.
Lab note03
Egg wash
Brush with beaten egg before baking.
Egg proteins and sugars brown through the Maillard reaction, giving the deep golden, glossy finish, and the egg also helps seal the edges.
Lab note04
Seal and vent
Press the edges with a fork and cut a small slit on top.
Sealed edges keep filling in; the slit lets steam escape so the puff doesn’t burst open.
How to make it, at a glance
- Cook the fillingSelect Sauté and heat the oil. Add the cumin for 20 seconds, the onion until golden, then the ginger-garlic paste, salt, chili powder, turmeric and pepper. Add the chicken and water, lock the lid and pressure cook on High for 7 minutes; quick release.
- Shred and dryShred the chicken with two forks, then cook on Sauté, stirring, until all the liquid evaporates. Stir in the garam masala, cilantro and green chili.
- CoolSpread the filling on a plate and cool completely.
- CutHeat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Unfold each pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and cut into 6 rectangles.
- Fill and foldSpoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto one half of each rectangle, brush the edges with egg wash, fold over and press with a fork to seal.
- BakeBrush the tops with egg wash, cut a small slit in each, and bake 20–22 minutes, until puffed and deep golden.
- ServeCool 5 minutes and serve warm with ketchup, green chutney and chai.
Exact amounts and timings are in the recipe card below.
Questions, answered
Why are my puffs soggy on the bottom?
The filling was warm or wet, or the pastry got too warm before baking. Cool the filling completely and chill the shaped puffs 10 minutes if your kitchen is warm.
Can I air fry puffs?
Yes: air fry at 375°F for 10–12 minutes, a few at a time, until golden.
About MedRise Food Science
Desi restaurant favorites, recreated at home and explained with food science: every recipe is tested in a home kitchen and comes with the why behind each step.
Recipe card
Chicken Puffs
Pakistani bakery-style chicken puffs: flaky puff pastry wrapped around spiced Instant Pot shredded chicken, baked until golden. With the food science of flaky pastry and freezer instructions.
Prep30 minCook40 minTotal1 hr 10 minServes12 puffs
Ingredients
Chicken filling
Pastry
Instructions
- Cook the fillingSelect Sauté and heat the oil. Add the cumin for 20 seconds, the onion until golden, then the ginger-garlic paste, salt, chili powder, turmeric and pepper. Add the chicken and water, lock the lid and pressure cook on High for 7 minutes; quick release.
- Shred and dryShred the chicken with two forks, then cook on Sauté, stirring, until all the liquid evaporates. Stir in the garam masala, cilantro and green chili.
- CoolSpread the filling on a plate and cool completely.
- CutHeat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Unfold each pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and cut into 6 rectangles.
- Fill and foldSpoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto one half of each rectangle, brush the edges with egg wash, fold over and press with a fork to seal.
- BakeBrush the tops with egg wash, cut a small slit in each, and bake 20–22 minutes, until puffed and deep golden.
- ServeCool 5 minutes and serve warm with ketchup, green chutney and chai.
Notes
- Creamy filling
- For bakery-style creamy patties, stir 2 tbsp cream cheese into the cooled chicken.
- Freeze
- Freeze unbaked, filled puffs on a tray, then bag them. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 25–28 minutes.
- Storage
- Refrigerate baked puffs up to 3 days; re-crisp in a 375°F oven or air fryer for 5 minutes.
Equipment
- Instant Pot or skillet for the filling
- 2 baking sheets and parchment
- Pastry brush
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter