The ingredients used to make a Cuban chicken plait may be simple, but when combined, it’s a match made in pastry heaven.
SERVES 6 // HANDS-ON 100 mins // HANDS-OFF 90 mins
INGREDIENTS
For the cheat’s puff pastry
300g flour
Pinch of salt
170g unsalted butter, 120g frozen, 50g chilled and cubed
60–90 ml cold water
For the filling
250 ml chicken stock
4 chicken breast fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 green pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
100g cream cheese
Handful of coriander, chopped
Salt and pepper
METHOD
For the cheat’s puff pastry
1. Mix flour and salt together in a bowl.
2. Rub in the 50g chilled, cubed butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Gradually add the water, still working with your fingertips, until the dough comes together.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a rectangle.
5. Grate ½ the frozen butter over the bottom ⅔ of the dough. Fold down the top ⅓ and fold up the bottom ⅓, as if folding a letter.
6. Turn the folded dough 90° and roll it out into a rectangle again. Repeat the process with the remaining frozen butter.
7. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.
For the chicken plait
1. Preheat oven to 180˚C.
2. Bring the chicken stock to the boil over high heat. Add chicken and simmer for 10 minutes, until cooked. Remove from the stock.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Fry green pepper and onion until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and sweet chilli sauce. Fry for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. Shred the chicken and add it to the pan. Add cream cheese and coriander and season with salt and pepper.
5. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle, roughly 20 × 30 cm.
6. Spoon the filling down the centre of the pastry, leaving the sides empty. Cut the sides of the pastry diagonally into strips at 2½ cm intervals and plait over the filling.
7. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden and crispy.
Loved our Cuban chicken plait? Then give our budget-friendly braised chicken with baby potatoes a try.
