Savory Crescent Chicken Squares

This is one of my family's favorite dishes, and it has been passed down to me by my husband's family. The idea of mixing chicken and cream cheese may seem odd to some, but the end result is a mild cheesy flavor that is irresistible!

There are two ways to prepare this recipe. One is the traditional individual chicken squares, and the other, which makes prep work a little easier and less messy, uses one pan and layers the mixture and dough. I'll present both of them at the end.

Chicken Chili

Cooking equipment required: You'll need a medium mixing bowl, mixing spoon, pastry brush, and either a cake pan or a cookie sheet for this recipe.

Ingredients:

3 oz cream cheese softened (for a creamier sauce, use more cream cheese)

2 cups cooked chicken, or canned chicken

1/8 tsp pepper

8 oz crescent rolls or similar pastry

3 tbsp melted butter, divided

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp milk

¾ cup crushed seasoned croutons or breadcrumbs (optional)

Optional herbs: sage, chives, green onion.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend softened cream cheese and 2 tbsp butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Add cooked or canned chicken, salt, pepper and milk (and also any optional herbs you may wish to season). Mix well. Set aside.

Preparation Method #1 - Traditional Individual Chicken Squares - Separate dough into 4 rectangles. Spoon ½ cup of cheesy meat mixture into center. Fold four corners of dough over top of meat. Twist and seal. Brush top with 1 tbsp of melted butter and dip into crushed croutons. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 20 to 25 minutes.

Preparation Method #2 - One Pan Dish - This prep idea is a little easier to prepare than the traditional individual chicken squares. Spread cheesy meat mixture into bottom of an ungreased cake pan. Spread dough out into a layer on top of meat mixture. Brush top with 1 tbsp of melted butter and sprinkle crushed croutons on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until dough is golden brown.

For a lighter version of this recipe, try a low fat cream cheese and crescent rolls. To double the recipe in preparation method #2, you don't need to double the crescent rolls, unless you use a layer of dough on the bottom as well as the top.

Experiment on your own with this one and find the best way to prepare it for yourself and your family!

Nutritional Information:

Total dish:

Calories:1510

Fat: 109

Saturated Fat: 56

Cholesterol: 216

Sodium: 2980

Carbohydrates: 94

Sugars: 20

Protein: 24

Makes 4 servings

One serving:

Calories: 3775

Fat: 27

Saturated Fat: 14

Cholesterol: 54

Sodium: 745

Carbohydrates: 23.5

Sugars: 5

Protein: 6

Savory Crescent Chicken Squares

Tonia Jordan is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers.

Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/spidergirl so stop by and read for a while.

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