Chicken Croquettes

I have been eating this recipe since I was a young child! It is one of those family favorites. I of course love the taste of these but I also love them because I can make a bunch of them and freeze them. Yes I do like pretty much any dinner I can freeze and pull out when I don't feel like making something. Growing up my mom would always make them using packaged crescent rolls. I recently decided I wanted to try and make the dough from scratch. I absolutely love them both ways. The only reason I like the homemade dough better is because it is homemade. I love knowing exactly what is in my food, and knowing that it is all natural.  These are really quite easy to make and making your own dough really doesn't add that much extra time or effort. If making your own dough intimidates you then feel free to use the store bough crescent rolls. Trust me they really are great either way!

Chicken Croquettes


Ingredients:
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the surface
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Filling:
4 oz cream cheese
1 lb cooked shredded chicken
1 small can mushrooms (optional)
1 cube melted butter
crushed seasoned croutons or bread crumbs
salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift two cups flour, the baking powder, salt and (if using) sugar into a large bowl. Fold in 1 1/4 cups cream. If the dough is not soft or easily handled, fold in the remaining 1/4 cup cream, little by little. Place dough in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Mix cream cheese, salt, garlic powder, pepper, chicken, and mushrooms.  Add more salt, pepper and garlic as desired. I find that it is easier to mix if the chicken is still warm and cream cheese is at room temperature. Set aside.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface, mound it into a ball and, using your hands, gently press it to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. With a rolling pin flatten ball out into a large circle approximately 1/4 inch thick. With a pizza cutter slice into 8 triangle shaped slices (cut as if you were cutting a pizza).
Put a small amount of chicken mixture in the center of one of triangle.  I divided the mixture evenly between the 8 triangles and it was the perfect amount. Roll the dough around the chicken mixture and seal. Dip in butter and roll in croutons or bread crumbs. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm with gravy (and mashed potatoes if you like).

 Roll out dough, cut into 8 pie shaped pieces and place a tbs or two of chicken mixture on each slice.

 Roll up into balls pinching any open areas to seal in chicken mixture.

Roll ball in melted butter.

Then roll in bread crumbs.

Place on baking sheet and bake for 12-16 minutes until golden brown.