Chicken and Mushroom Vol-Au-Vents

Ingredients

• 18puff pastry shells (thawed and cooked according to the packet instructions)
• 567 g (1¼ lb)boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 113 g (4 oz; 1 stick)butter
• 227 g (8 oz)mushrooms, quartered or cut into eighths depending on size
• 1 clovegarlic, minced
• 1 teaspoonfresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 59 ml (¼ cup)white wine
• 30 g (¼ cup)plain flour
• 473 ml (2 cups)chicken stock
• 1 tablespoonDijon mustard
• 59 ml (¼ cup)whipping cream
• A pinchsalt and pepper, to taste
• 1 medium egg, beaten with 15 ml (1 tablespoon) wateregg wash for the pastry
• 1 teaspoonparsley, chopped, for garnish
• 1 mediumonion, peeled and halved
• 591 ml (2½ cups)chicken stock
• 118 ml (½ cup)white wine
• ⅛ teaspoonsalt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Poach the chicken

   Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 2-quart saucepan. Add the onion halves, then cover with the chicken stock and wine. Season the liquid with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Simmer gently

   Bring the liquid to boiling point over high heat, then immediately lower the heat so it barely bubbles. Simmer for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the hot liquid for a further 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Rest and chop

   Lift the cooked chicken out of the liquid and leave it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting it into pieces.

4. 4

   Bake the shells

   Bake the vol-au-vent pastry shells according to the packet instructions.

5. 5

   Cook the mushrooms

   Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly golden.

6. 6

   Add the aromatics

   Add the garlic and thyme, then stir well.

7. 7

   Reduce the wine

   Pour in the wine and stir it through the mixture. Raise the heat and bring it back to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the wine has reduced by half.

8. 8

   Add the chicken

   Add the chopped chicken to the mushroom and wine mixture. Turn off the heat and leave it to stand while you prepare the cream sauce.

9. 9

   Make the roux

   Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in another large frying pan. Add the flour and stir to form a roux. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring continuously.

10. 10

    Whisk in stock

    Gradually pour in the chicken stock, whisking all the while to prevent lumps. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until thickened.

11. 11

    Finish the sauce

    Stir in the Dijon mustard and cream until combined.

12. 12

    Combine and rest

    Add the mushroom and chicken mixture to the cream sauce, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Raise the heat until it simmers again, lower the heat and stir for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the filling to stand for 5 minutes before filling the pastry shells.

13. 13

    Fill the shells

    Spoon 2 to 3 teaspoons of chicken filling into each cooked pastry shell. Set the small pastry lid on top as a decoration.

14. 14

    Warm before serving

    If the pastry has cooled, return the filled vol-au-vents to an oven at 190°C (375°F) for 5 minutes. Alternatively, make the pastry shells and filling a day ahead, fill the shells when ready to serve and heat in an oven at 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes.

15. 15

    Add the garnish

    Garnish with parsley, if desired.

What are vol-au-vents?

Vol-au-vents are French puff pastry cases served with a savoury filling, often as a starter or party bite. Their crisp, layered shells contrast with a soft, saucy centre.

This version pairs poached chicken with mushrooms, white wine and a mustard cream sauce. Cooking the chicken gently and reducing the wine help build flavour without making the filling heavy with liquid.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 397 calories, 13g protein, 26g carbs, 26g fat.

The pastry and flour supply much of the carbohydrate, while butter and cream contribute most of the fat; chicken provides protein, with further contributions from the mushrooms and sauce. Pair a portion with a green salad or vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Poaching the chicken

Gentle heat: bring the stock and wine to the boil, then reduce the heat straight away so the liquid only barely bubbles. This method gives the chicken time to cook without a vigorous boil.

Resting time: leave the chicken in the hot poaching liquid for the full 15 minutes after simmering. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes after lifting it out so it is easier to cut.

Building the mushroom flavour

Golden mushrooms: give the mushrooms 3 to 4 minutes in the pan, until lightly coloured. Cutting larger ones into eighths helps the pieces fit neatly in the small pastry cases.

Reduced wine: simmer the wine with the mushrooms for 2 to 3 minutes, reducing it by half as directed. This keeps the mixture from being overly wet when it is folded into the sauce.

Getting a smooth sauce

The roux: stir the flour into the melted butter and cook it for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the stock gradually while whisking so the sauce thickens evenly without lumps.

The finish: add the mustard and cream once the stock sauce has thickened, then fold in the chicken and mushroom mixture. A final 2-minute simmer brings the filling together; the 5-minute rest helps it settle before filling.

Keeping the pastry crisp

Bake the shells according to their packet instructions and fill them only when the filling is ready. The recipe calls for 2 to 3 teaspoons of filling per shell, enough to keep the pastry-to-filling balance in each bite.

For the best contrast in texture, avoid filling the cases far ahead of serving. If the shells have cooled after filling, warm them in a 190°C oven for 5 minutes.

Preparing ahead and serving

Make-ahead option: the pastry shells and filling can be prepared a day in advance. Keep them separate, then fill the shells when you are ready and heat them at 190°C for 15 minutes.

Serving ideas: offer these as party bites alongside a crisp green salad or other light nibbles. For a starter, serve a few per person with simply dressed leaves.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the mushrooms into evenly sized pieces so they cook at a similar rate.
• Whisk the stock into the roux in small additions to help keep the sauce smooth.
• Let the chicken rest before cutting so it is easier to handle.
• Keep the pastry shells and filling separate if preparing them ahead.
• Taste the finished filling before adding salt, as the stock may already be seasoned.
• Fill each case shortly before serving to help the pastry stay crisp.

Variations

• Use mixed mushrooms: combine different varieties for a deeper mushroom flavour.
• Add extra thyme: stir in a little more fresh thyme for a more pronounced herbal note.
• Swap the wine: use extra chicken stock in place of the white wine for a wine-free version.
• Include peas: fold cooked peas into the filling for extra colour and sweetness.
• Make larger portions: serve the filling in larger vol-au-vent cases as a starter.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling the chicken hard: lower the heat as soon as the liquid boils so the chicken poaches gently.
• Adding stock too quickly: whisk it in gradually to help prevent lumps in the sauce.
• Skipping the wine reduction: simmer until the wine has reduced by half so the mushroom mixture is less watery.
• Filling the cases too early: wait until close to serving to help keep the pastry crisp.
• Overfilling the shells: use the recipe’s 2 to 3 teaspoons per case so the filling does not spill over.

How to store

Store the cooked filling and pastry shells separately in covered containers in the fridge and use within 1 day, as the recipe's make-ahead instructions allow. Fill the shells before reheating and warm at 190°C for 15 minutes; filled, cooled cases can be reheated for 5 minutes at the same temperature.

Frequently asked questions