Why You’ll Love This these Golden Phyllo Chicken & Spinach Parcels
These crispy, golden parcels are like little presents wrapped in buttery phyllo pastry, hiding a creamy chicken and spinach filling that’s honestly better than anything you’d get at a fancy restaurant.
The best part is how the phyllo gets all flaky and crunches perfectly when you bite into it, while the inside stays wonderfully creamy and packed with tender chicken.
Plus, you can make the filling ahead of time and just wrap them up later when you’re ready to impress someone, or when you’re too lazy to think of what else to make for dinner.
Ingredients List
Everything you need for these gorgeous parcels is probably already hiding somewhere in your kitchen, which makes this recipe even more perfect for those spontaneous cooking moments.
- 500 g skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 150 g spinach, chopped (frozen is OK)
- 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
- 1 cup shallot
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
- 200 ml skim evaporated milk
- 9 sheets phyllo pastry (puff pastry sheets can be substituted)
- 1/4 cup sesame or poppy seeds
- The skim evaporated milk keeps things lighter than heavy cream while still giving you that creamy texture we’re all craving
- Frozen spinach works just as well as fresh, so don’t stress if you forgot to grab the fancy stuff
- Using skinless chicken breasts means you’re getting plenty of lean protein without extra fat
- The minimal olive oil keeps the calorie count reasonable while still giving you enough flavor to make your taste buds happy
Step by Step Directions
Making these golden parcels is surprisingly straightforward and perfect for both weeknight dinners and impressive entertaining.
- Slice the chicken into strips and sauté lightly for around 3 minutes with shallots and cracked pepper.
- Add the flour and mix well to coat everything evenly.
- Add the spinach, milk and chicken stock powder to the pan.
- Heat the mixture until the sauce thickens, then remove from heat and allow to cool completely (this can be done early and refrigerated until ready to assemble).
- Layer 3 sheets of phyllo pastry and slice the stack in half.
- Spoon about 2 heaped tablespoons of the cooled chicken mixture onto each phyllo stack.
- Wrap the phyllo around the filling to create neat parcels.
- Spray the parcels lightly with oil and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.
- Bake in a hot oven for around 20 minutes until golden and crispy.
Using a sharp professional chef knife will ensure clean, even cuts when slicing the chicken and preparing your ingredients for the best results.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make them mini – cut the phyllo into smaller pieces for bite-sized appetizers, perfect for when you want to look fancy but still eat with your hands.
- Different seeds on top – everything bagel seasoning, nigella seeds, or even just coarse salt can replace the sesame or poppy seeds if that’s what’s lurking in your pantry.
- Mushroom boost – sautéed mushrooms mixed in with the chicken add an earthy depth, plus they help stretch the filling if you’re feeding a crowd.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
These golden parcels practically beg for some friends on the plate, and honestly, who are we to deny them.
- Simple green salad – something crisp and lemony cuts through all that buttery phyllo richness, plus it makes you feel like you’re eating vegetables even though you’re basically having fancy chicken pockets.
- Roasted vegetables – carrots, zucchini, or bell peppers tossed with olive oil and herbs, because your oven’s already hot and you might as well use that real estate.
- Rice pilaf or couscous – these parcels aren’t exactly heavy, but sometimes you want something to soak up any extra sauce that might escape during the great phyllo unwrapping.
- Tzatziki or garlic aioli – for dipping, because apparently we can’t just leave well enough alone and need to make everything even richer.
- Soup as a starter – a light tomato or vegetable soup before the main event turns this into a proper dinner party situation, assuming you’re the type who plans that far ahead.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Let me share the little secrets that’ll turn your phyllo parcels from “meh” to “chef’s kiss” territory.
- Keep that phyllo covered – those delicate sheets dry out faster than my sense of humor at family dinners, so throw a damp tea towel over the stack while you work.
- Don’t overstuff the parcels – I know it’s tempting to cram in all that delicious filling, but phyllo has its limits and will stage a rebellion by tearing if you push it too far.
- Cool that filling completely – hot filling plus delicate pastry equals soggy bottom syndrome, and nobody wants that kind of disappointment on their dinner plate.
- Brush or spray between phyllo layers – a light coating of oil or melted butter between each sheet creates those gorgeous golden, flaky layers that make people think you actually know what you’re doing.
- Score the tops lightly – a gentle knife scratch on top helps steam escape and prevents your beautiful parcels from exploding like little phyllo grenades in the oven.
- Freeze extras before baking – wrap them individually and tuck them away for those nights when cooking feels like climbing Mount Everest, then bake straight from frozen with an extra 5-10 minutes.
- Watch the oven like a hawk – phyllo goes from perfect golden brown to “oops, that’s charcoal” in about thirty seconds, so don’t wander off to scroll through your phone.
Nutritional Facts
Each serving packs a serious nutritional punch while keeping your waistline happy.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 285-320 calories (based on 6 servings)
- Protein powerhouse: Around 28-30g of high-quality protein from the chicken breast – that’s nearly half your daily needs
- Low fat content: Only 8-10g of fat per serving thanks to the skim milk and minimal oil usage
- Carb-conscious: About 22-25g of carbohydrates, mostly from the phyllo pastry
- Iron boost: Spinach contributes a solid dose of iron for healthy blood and energy levels
- Calcium contribution: Evaporated skim milk adds approximately 150mg of bone-strengthening calcium
- Fiber factor: Around 2-3g of dietary fiber from the spinach and shallots
- Sodium consideration: Roughly 380-420mg of sodium per serving (watch this if you’re monitoring salt intake)
- Vitamin A abundance: Spinach delivers a hefty amount of vitamin A for eye health and immune function
- B-vitamin benefits: Chicken provides essential B vitamins for energy metabolism and brain function
- Folate friendly: Spinach contributes folate, especially important for pregnant women and cell division
Fun “Did You Know?”
Who would’ve thought that phyllo pastry has been wrapping delicious fillings for over 4,000 years?
I find it fascinating that this paper-thin dough originated in ancient Greece and Turkey. The word “phyllo” actually means “leaf” in Greek, which perfectly describes its delicate, leafy layers.
Here’s something cool: traditional phyllo dough contains no fat, making it healthier than puff pastry.
Master bakers can stretch a single sheet so thin you can read through it!
Spinach has been called a superfood since Popeye’s era, but it’s actually been cultivating strength for over 2,000 years in Persia.
