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Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Tartlets
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients. Heat a conventional oven to 190 °C (375 °F). Finely chop the onion and mushrooms. On a separate board, dice the chicken into roughly 1 cm pieces. Grate the cheese and arrange the ready-baked shells on a lined baking tray.
Fry the onion and mushrooms. Heat half the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Soften the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, turn the heat up slightly and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the released liquid has evaporated. Transfer the onion and mushrooms to a clean plate.
Cook and thicken the filling. Heat the rest of the oil and stir-fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes. Return the onion and mushrooms, stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Gradually add the cream, then the salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 3-5 minutes or longer, until a spatula leaves a trail in the sauce and the centre of the largest chicken pieces reaches 74 °C (165 °F).
Fill the shells. Spoon the hot, thick filling into the shells, just below their rims. If your cases are shallow, serve any excess separately rather than overfilling them. Top with the grated cheese and bake without delay.
Bake and serve. Bake on the middle rack for 7-9 minutes, until the cheese melts and browns in spots. If the pastry edges colour first, take the tray out once the cheese has melted. Rest the tartlets on a rack for a couple of minutes and serve warm.
Keeping the pastry crisp
Choose ready-baked savoury shortcrust cases with a firm base. Thin wafer shells can soften quickly under a hot filling. Sturdy shortcrust cases generally do not need to be toasted first.
If cream still pools at the bottom of the skillet, simmer the filling uncovered a little longer. It should hold on a spoon without becoming dry.
Yield and nutrition
Makes 12 tartlets in shells about 5 cm across, with one tartlet per serving. The 40-minute estimate assumes ready-baked shells. The estimated 105 kcal per tartlet assumes 12 shells weighing about 8 g each. Check the labels on your shells, cheese and cream for a more precise calculation. This recipe has not been tested in the kitchen.
Homemade shells and other ways to serve
- Chicken and mushroom julienne baked in ramekins
- How to make puff pastry tart shells
- Cold shrimp and cream cheese tartlets
Recipe video: See how the tartlets are assembled
Important: Alla Fomina's Russian-language video shows a similar version. Use the cream quantity, oven setting and timings in the written recipe for this version.
Illustrations were generated with AI.
FAQ
Which shells work best? +
Choose ready-baked savoury shortcrust cases about 5 cm across, with a firm base. Fully baked, sturdy puff pastry cases also work.
Can I make the filling ahead? +
Yes. Cook it fully, refrigerate it within two hours and store it covered. Reheat it to 74 °C (165 °F) before filling. Keep the pastry separate and dry.
Can I use a lighter cream? +
Yes, but the sauce may take longer to thicken. Reduce it in the skillet rather than baking the filled tartlets for longer.
Can I use cooked chicken? +
Yes. Stir finely diced cooked chicken into the sauce after adding the cream. If it was chilled, reheat the filling to 74 °C (165 °F).
How long do filled tartlets take to bake? +
With hot, fully cooked filling, allow about 7-9 minutes at 190 °C (375 °F). Take them out once the cheese melts, before the pastry edges burn.
How do I make 24 tartlets? +
Double the ingredients. If the mushrooms crowd the skillet, fry them in two batches. Fill each set of shells just before it goes into the oven.
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