These Curried Chicken Pastry Cups are always the first thing to go at parties. The chicken is stirred through a curried mayonnaise, enhanced with sweet apricots and sultanas. All encased within a delicate pastry cup. They are bright, inviting and delicious.
To cook the chicken (skip if using leftover chicken)
Remove the chicken from the fridge for 15 minutes.
Place the chicken in a small saucepan and cover with boiling water. Ensure there is at least 3" of water above the chicken.
Bring the water back to a boil then add in 1 teaspoon of salt.
Put the lid on the pan and remove the pan from the heat. Set it aside for 25 minutes.
Then remove the chicken from the water and allow it to cool.
To make the pastry cups
Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC
Place the pastry sheet on a floured surface to defrost.
Once they have defrosted take a smooth 2″ (5cm) pastry cutter and dip the edge into some flour then cut out 12 circles from each sheet of pastry. Dip the cutter after every disk.
Use a smaller cutter to score a smaller circle in the middle of each disk.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden and puffed up.
Remove them for from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Once the cups are cooled place them onto a flat service and use the handle of a wooden spoon to carefully push the centre of the pastry cup down.
The cups can now be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
To make the curried chicken filling.
Cut the chicken into small cubes.
Mix the mayonnaise, curry powder, ground turmeric, brown sugar and salt together.
Chop the dried apricots into small pieces. Then stir the apricot pieces, cubed chicken and sultanas through the mayonnaise mixture.
At this point the mixture can be kept in the refrigerator until needed.
Before you serve, finely chop the fresh cilantro and stir it through the mixture.
To assemble:
Spoon a small amount of the chicken mixture into each cup and garnish with a small cilantro leaf.
Notes
Chicken Breast - You can substitute in 8oz/250g of cooked leftover chicken and then just skip the poaching stage. TO PREPARE AHEAD
The pastry cups can be made up to 2 days ahead and then kept in an airtight tub.
The chicken mixture (minus the chopped cilantro) can be made up to 24 hours ahead and then kept refrigerated until needed.