Chicken Turnovers - 2 Delicious Ways (Puff Pastry & Homemade Kourou Dough)

Ingredients

• 1 package (490 g; 1 lb)puff pastry
• 500 g (4 cups)plain flour
• 240 ml (1 cup)olive oil
• 245 g (1 cup)Greek yoghurt (strained) or sour cream
• 1egg
• 1 tablespoonfreshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoonsugar
• ½ teaspoonsalt
• 907 g (2 lb)boneless chicken breast or thighs
• 1 largeonion, finely chopped
• 60 ml (¼ cup), or moreolive oil
• to tastesalt and black pepper
• 3 clovesgarlic, grated
• 1 tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
• 1 can (425 g; 15 oz)tomatoes, puréed
• ½–1 teaspoongranulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons, or 1 teaspoon driedfresh parsley, chopped, or dried oregano
• optional, to tastecrumbled feta, frozen peas, cream cheese or mozzarella
• 3–4 egg yolks and 60 ml (¼ cup) milkegg wash

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken

   Cut the chicken into small pieces, about 2.5–5 cm (1–2 inches).

2. 2

   Soften the onion

   Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft and golden, about 10 minutes, then add the garlic and warm it through for 20 seconds.

3. 3

   Brown the chicken

   Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until golden, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce.

4. 4

   Thicken the sauce

   Stir in the puréed tomatoes and a little sugar, if desired. Cook over medium heat for about 10–15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

5. 5

   Finish the filling

   Stir in the parsley or oregano and adjust the seasoning to taste. Break the chicken into smaller pieces with a spatula, then set the filling aside to cool completely.

6. 6

   Mix the dry ingredients

   Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in a bowl.

7. 7

   Whisk the wet ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, yoghurt, egg and lemon juice until smooth. The mixture may look curdled.

8. 8

   Bring dough together

   Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. When the dough becomes too thick to whisk, knead it by hand until it comes together.

9. 9

   Rest the dough

   Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a tea towel and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.

10. 10

    Thaw the pastry

    For the puff pastry option, thaw the pastry in the refrigerator overnight. It is easier to handle when cold but no longer frozen.

11. 11

    Roll the pastry

    Lightly flour the work surface and roll each sheet of puff pastry until it is about 2.5 cm (1 inch) larger on all sides.

12. 12

    Cut the pastry

    Cut each sheet into 9 pieces.

13. 13

    Prepare the trays

    Line two baking trays with parchment paper.

14. 14

    Fill the pastry

    Put a teaspoonful of filling on each piece of puff pastry.

15. 15

    Fold the pastry

    Brush the pastry edges lightly with water, then fold each piece over the filling.

16. 16

    Seal the turnovers

    Press the three open sides with the tines of a fork to seal them and make a pattern. Arrange the turnovers on the prepared trays.

17. 17

    Chill the turnovers

    Brush the tops with egg wash, then chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 15–20 minutes.

18. 18

    Heat the oven

    Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

19. 19

    Oil the surface

    Lightly grease the work surface with olive oil to make the dough easier to roll.

20. 20

    Divide the dough

    Cut the dough into two equal portions, then cut each portion into 8 pieces.

21. 21

    Shape the dough

    Roll each piece into a ball.

22. 22

    Roll the rounds

    Gently press or roll each ball into a 13 cm (5-inch) round. Do not add flour to the dough, as it can make it dry and tough.

23. 23

    Fill the rounds

    Place a tablespoonful of filling on each dough round.

24. 24

    Add optional cheese

    If desired, add crumbled feta or your favourite cheese.

25. 25

    Fold the dough

    Fold each round over the filling.

26. 26

    Seal the edges

    Press the edges together gently to seal.

27. 27

    Arrange the pies

    Place the pies on the prepared baking trays, with 8 on each tray.

28. 28

    Crimp the edges

    Press the edges with a fork to make a decorative pattern.

29. 29

    Brush with egg wash

    Brush the tops of the pies with egg wash.

30. 30

    Bake until golden

    Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden.

31. 31

    Rotate and serve

    Halfway through baking, rotate the trays and swap their positions, moving the bottom tray to the top rack and the top tray to the bottom. Serve warm.

What are Greek chicken turnovers?

These small savoury pies take inspiration from Greek home cooking, with a choice of shop-bought puff pastry or kourou dough. Kourou is a simple Greek pastry made here with flour, olive oil, yoghurt, egg and lemon.

The filling combines chicken, onion and garlic with tomato and herbs. Cooking it down before filling the pastries gives it a richer flavour and helps keep the dough from becoming soggy.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 220 calories, 9g protein, 22g carbs, 11g fat.

The chicken supplies most of the protein, while the flour, pastry and tomato contribute carbohydrates. Olive oil and the pastry carry much of the fat; serve a turnover with salad or vegetables to round out the plate.

Choose your pastry

Puff pastry: Use it cold but fully thawed, and work fairly quickly so it stays easy to handle. Cut each sheet into 9 pieces as directed.

Kourou dough: This homemade option is softer and less flaky. Rest it for 30 minutes, then roll the portions without adding flour to the oiled work surface.

Cook the filling until thick

Tomato reduction: Let the tomato mixture simmer for 10–15 minutes, until it has reduced and thickened. A loose sauce can leak from the turnovers or soften the pastry.

Cool completely: Leave the cooked filling to cool before assembling. Warm filling can make pastry harder to seal and may affect how it bakes.

Seal each turnover well

Puff pastry: Brush the edges with a little water before folding, then press all three open sides firmly with a fork.

Kourou dough: Bring the edges together gently and crimp with a fork. Keep the filling in the centre so the edges can meet cleanly.

Look for golden pastry

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Rotate the trays halfway through and swap their rack positions so they bake more evenly.

The two pastry options may brown differently, so use the colour of the turnovers as the main cue while keeping to the stated baking time.

Serve them warm

These turnovers work as a party appetiser or as a side with soup or salad. A crisp green salad or a bowl of vegetable soup makes a simple accompaniment.

The filling can be adjusted with optional peas or cheese. Add any extra filling ingredients sparingly so the turnovers still close securely.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into small, even pieces so it cooks at a similar rate.
• Let the tomato sauce reduce until thick before taking the filling off the heat.
• Cool the filling completely before assembling either pastry option.
• Keep puff pastry cold while shaping for easier handling.
• Seal the edges firmly with a fork to help keep the filling inside.
• Rotate and swap the trays halfway through baking for more even colouring.

Variations

• Add feta: Crumble a little into each kourou turnover before sealing.
• Add peas: Stir frozen peas into the cooled chicken filling.
• Change the cheese: Use a little cream cheese or mozzarella in place of feta.
• Use oregano: Choose the dried oregano option for a savoury herbal note.
• Choose chicken thighs: Use boneless thighs instead of chicken breast for the filling.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Filling while hot: Cool the mixture completely before assembling so it is easier to handle.
• Runny filling: Cook the tomato sauce until reduced and thickened to help prevent leaks.
• Overfilling: Keep to a teaspoonful for puff pastry or a tablespoonful for kourou rounds so the edges can seal.
• Warm puff pastry: Chill it until cold but thawed before shaping for easier handling.
• Adding flour to kourou dough: Roll it on the lightly oiled surface instead, as extra flour can make it dry and tough.
• Uneven baking: Rotate the trays and swap their rack positions halfway through.

How to store

Once cool, store the turnovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven until warmed through and crisp; the recipe description also notes that they freeze well.

Frequently asked questions