Decadent Chicken Pillows Garlic (Printable)

Flaky pillows filled with tender chicken and cheese, brushed with a savory garlic Parmesan sauce for rich flavor.

# What Goes In:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
02 - 1 cup cream cheese, softened
03 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
06 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Dough

07 - 1 package refrigerated crescent roll dough, 8-count

→ Garlic Parmesan Sauce

08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Garnish

11 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic powder, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper until well blended.
03 - Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into 8 triangles.
04 - Place a spoonful of the chicken mixture onto the wide end of each triangle. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal, forming pillow shapes.
05 - Arrange chicken pillows on the prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly.
06 - In a small bowl, mix melted butter, minced garlic, and grated Parmesan cheese.
07 - Brush the tops of each pillow generously with the garlic Parmesan mixture.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
09 - Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
10 - Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together in under 45 minutes, which means weeknight dinner doesn't have to mean takeout boxes.
  • Nobody suspects how easy these are—people always assume you spent way more time than you actually did.
  • The filling is forgiving enough to tweak based on what's in your fridge, yet elegant enough for guests.
02 -
  • Cold dough straight from the fridge makes all the difference—warm dough tears and doesn't puff as dramatically, which I learned the hard way the first time I got impatient.
  • Don't overfill, because the cheese expands as it bakes and will leak out of imperfect seals, creating a mess that still tastes good but looks chaotic.
03 -
  • Use a real Parmesan block and grate it yourself—the melting behavior and flavor are so superior to pre-grated that you'll notice immediately.
  • Brush the pillows with the garlic butter mixture right before they go into the oven, not earlier, so it doesn't absorb into the dough and disappear.
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