Air Fryer Chicken Wellington with Dijon Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 8 oz button mushrooms (Trimmed and quartered, then finely minced)
• 1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (Use thick, not thin-sliced breasts; air-chilled recommended)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (For seasoning the chicken, mushroom mixture, and sauce; use to taste except where otherwise specified)
• 2 tsp olive oil (Divided for searing the chicken and cooking the mushrooms)
• 2 tbsp butter (For searing the chicken and cooking the mushroom mixture)
• 1 small shallot (Minced)
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 2 garlic cloves (Minced)
• 1 lb puff pastry sheets (9×9-inch sheets, thawed; 2 sheets per box)
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard (Spread over the chicken; additional Dijon is used in the sauce)
• 1 large egg (Lightly beaten for egg wash)
• 1 tbsp butter (For the Dijon cream sauce)
• 1 tbsp shallot (Minced, for the sauce)
• 1 cup vegetable broth (Reduced by half for the sauce)
• 0.333 cup heavy cream (Cook until the sauce thickens enough to leave a trail when stirred)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (Stirred into the cream sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Although the dish is titled air-fryer chicken Wellington, the provided recipe instructions use an oven and baking sheets.

2. 2

   Place the trimmed, quartered mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely minced, scraping down the sides as needed.

3. 3

   Pat the chicken breasts completely dry. Slice each breast in half to form roughly 4-inch pieces, then season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. 4

   Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear for about 2 minutes per side, until golden on the outside but still undercooked inside. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

5. 5

   Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Add the minced mushrooms, minced shallot, garlic, dried thyme, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

6. 6

   Cook the mushroom mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 6–8 minutes, until browned and completely dry. Press out or cook off as much moisture as possible so the pastry does not become soggy.

7. 7

   Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and let it cool completely before assembling the pastry.

8. 8

   Lightly flour a work surface. Roll the thawed puff pastry evenly into an 11-inch square, then cut it into 2 squares. Arrange the squares on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them.

9. 9

   Spread about ¼ cup of the cooled mushroom mixture over each pastry square, leaving a 1-inch border around all edges.

10. 10

    Place one seared chicken piece on each pastry square. Spread about 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard over each piece of chicken.

11. 11

    Fold one edge of the pastry inward, then fold the opposite corner over it. Bring the two ends together to form a tight, sealed pocket with no gaps. Use toothpicks to secure the pastry if necessary.

12. 12

    Brush the tops and exposed pastry of each pocket with the lightly beaten egg wash.

13. 13

    Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 17–20 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown and crisp and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

14. 14

    While the Wellingtons bake, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon minced shallot and cook for 1 minute.

15. 15

    Pour in the vegetable broth and simmer until it has reduced by half.

16. 16

    Add the heavy cream and cook until the sauce thickens enough to leave a trail when stirred. Stir in 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

17. 17

    Serve the chicken Wellingtons hot with the Dijon cream sauce and enjoy immediately.

Notes

The mushroom mixture must be cooked until completely dry and cooled before assembly to prevent soggy pastry. The pastry pockets can be assembled several hours ahead and refrigerated unbaked; brush with egg wash immediately before baking. The sauce can be prepared ahead and gently reheated; loosen it with a small splash of vegetable broth because it thickens as it cools. Reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven rather than a microwave to restore crispness. The structured instructions describe two pastry squares, while the listed yield is four people and the chicken is divided into multiple pieces; portion the chicken and pastry according to the number of pockets your pastry sheets produce.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• baked
• puff pastry
• chicken
• family dinner
• make-ahead
• European-inspired