{Pakistani} Bakery Style Chicken Patties

Pakistani Bakery Style Chicken Patties were something I only dreamed about till I learned to make them myself. Waiting to eat them on my annual visits home was just not enough! I've practiced and tweaked the recipe over the years till I've come as close to the authentic version as possible. This recipe is now a staple in our house and I usually prepare these in batches and freeze them. They're perfect for school and work lunches or as a quick after school snack, fresh and hot from the oven!

The History

Pakistani Bakery style chicken patties may be a confusing title for anyone but South Asians. This is basically a Vol-au-vent with a chicken or beef filling usually made and sold in bakeries across Pakistan. Vol-au-vent is French for "windblown" per  wikipedia.org .This makes literal sense as the puff pastry rises and creates a huge hollow case. This is then filled with assorted meats and vegetables.

Another popular name commonly used for this puff pastry shell, in the past, was "patty case". In America a chicken patty refers to a flattened, breaded and fried chicken, but in Pakistan the name is synonymous with a vol-au-vent.

As mentioned in my blog post on puff pastry appetizer pinwheels the original puff pastry was created in France and then moved to Italy along with it's creator Claudius Gele. From here it travelled to Austria and then Denmark, where it was turned into the popular danish we all enjoy.

The vol-au-vent seems to have been around since 1739, being used as an appetizer and a main entree alike. Some popular fillings are chicken, fish, mushrooms and potatoes. In Pakistan a chicken patty is traditionally shaped round and a beef patty is usually in a rectangular shape. I make mine triangular as it's easier and avoids wasted scraps of dough.

My Story

Warm chicken patties from the bakery at teatime in Pakistan are delicious! Around 5 pm every day most households in Pakistan observe afternoon tea. The tea is brewed in beautiful family china and accompanied with sweet and savory treats. Usually served in a rolling cart called a "trolley" it is unequivocally everyones favorite time of day.

Fathers come home from work, ladies wake up from their customary afternoon siesta and children surface from their rooms to take a break from their homework. Everyone meets over a cup of tea and treats to discuss the events of their day.

Most socializing and visits to family and friends are also accompanied with the "laden trolley" as I like to call it. My children look forward to this the most on all our trips to Pakistan. Biting into a chicken patty invokes all the warm feelings associated with memories of countless past tea times.

The Recipe

My first bite of a chicken patty here in the US was at a friends house in Tucson, Arizona. One bite took me back to the land of my childhood. I am forever grateful to her for introducing me to Pepperidge Farm puff pastry. After many trials and errors I've finally got the recipe down to where it tastes just like the Pakistani bakery style chicken patties of my childhood.

Making The Filling

Cooking the chicken with a little ginger, garlic, vinegar and soy sauce helps to tenderize it and infuse it with a lot of flavor.

Puff  pastry is flaky, buttery and tender but the meat filling needs to have a slightly intense flavor for the patties to taste good.  

Adding onions and chillies further helps with this and the roux created with the butter and flour helps to bind all the ingredients together.

Everything falls together beautifully into a buttery, flaky, slightly spicy delight.

Making The Patties

Don't put more than a tablespoon of filling as the edges won't seal properly if you do.

Use a little water on your fingers to seal the dough and further seal the edges with a fork. This prevents the patties from opening up as they cook.

Brush generously with egg yolk to create a nice brown glaze. You can use an entire egg if you prefer but the yolk gives a nice brown color and shiny glaze so I use only the yolk.

Since ovens vary, watch the patties closely after 15 minutes so they don't over cook.

How To Freeze The patties

You can make the filling and assemble the patties ahead of time and freeze them. Place the prepared patties in the freezer on a baking tray and when frozen put them in a ziplock bag or airtight container. 

If in an airtight container the patties can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. When you're ready to eat them you can take them directly from the freezer and bake them as instructed above.

I make a big batch and bake as necessary for a quick snack or school and office lunch.

Some Final Tips

If you do want to opt for a more traditional round shape cut out circles using a cookie cutter and fill and seal them as instructed above.

If you have scraps left after making these, loveisinmytummy.com has some great ideas for using them to create fantastic sweet and savory treats.

I usually make my homemade chicken broth and use it to make some chinese chicken corn soup as well as these patties with the shredded chicken. It's perfect for a weekend lunch!

If you enjoyed this recipe, please check out 15+ chicken recipes from Pakistan. If you decide to try any of these recipes, please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, then tag me on Instagram! Thank you!