Alfredo Chicken Buns

An elegant and satisfying brunch favorite!

Do you ever dream of recipes you made long ago but had forgotten about only to wake-up from your sleep wondering where the recipe is and exactly how it was made? This is one of those. I could call it inspiration as it is that wonderful, but what made me forgot it in the first place? I suppose it’s the “painted wings and giants’ rings make way for other toys” phenomenon.

I can remember what the cookbook looked like, one of those small magazine types sold at the check out lines that I used frequently when first dabbling at cooking for my new husband. He was impressed, so I didn’t stop. It seemed to make for a lasting marriage. But I couldn’t find the cookbook so I thought some more and here is the result. I was very happy with it and so was my hiusband!

The slightly Italian filling of chicken mixed with all the basic sauteed veggies and aromatics, pushed it a bit further. With the addition of bacon and asparagus hearts, it tastes of something slightly exotic and unmistakably delicious, particularly when encased in a flaky dough and doused with Alfredo sauce. But then what wouldn’t taste wonderful doused with Alfredo sauce?

A lovely brunch or buffet dish, it is easy enough to make but with just enough fussiness to it to impress your guests. And if you agree, don’t lose the recipe, but it’s fine to dream about it if you are so inspired!

ALFREDO CHICKEN BUNS
1 large shallot, peeled and finely minced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large red pepper, diced
1/3 cup quartered artichoke hearts
5 tab. butter
3 tab. flour
1/2 cup chicken broth 1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup cream
1 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese dash of ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken 4 strips bacon, crisped and crumbled 2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
4 oz. sliced mushrooms, sauteed in 1 tab. butter until soft
2 tab. minced parsley 1 tablespoon diced fresh basil leaves (or 1 tsp. dried) salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste 2 cans Grand Buttermilk Biscuits (or roll dough - see note below) 1/3 cup melted butter 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese dash of paprika

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Melt 2 tab. butter in medium skillet and saute shallots, red pepper and mushrooms until soft. Add garlic, spinach and basil and saute 5 minutes longer, until spinach has wilted. Add cubed chicken, artichoke hearts, parsley, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Mix and set aside.

-In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Place 2 minced garlic cloves in butter and stir about 2 minutes, just until softened (do not brown.) Add 3 tablespoons flour and whisk about 1 minute. Add 1 cup milk to roux and beat with whip until all lumps are incorporated. Pour in remaining milk, broth and cream. Stir frequently with whip over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup parmesan cheese to hot mixture, returning to stove if necessary to melt most of the cheese. Add a pinch of nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper.

-Stir 1/3 cup Alfredo sauce into chicken mixture.

-Open refrigerated biscuits container and separate on work surface. Lightly grease surface with a little oil and roll out each circle to a 5 - 6 inch circle. Place about 1/2 cup filling in the center of each dough circle and fold edges of circle up around filling. Pinch and pull edges over the bottom so that filling is completely enclosed.

-Melt 1/3 cup butter and place in small bowl. Place another 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese mixed with 2 teaspoons paprika in a small bowl. Dip each bun, top side down in butter and then in Parmesan cheese and place seam side down on parchment-lined, greased baking sheet or silpad.

-Place in preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes until buns are golden on the edges and a bit on top. To serve, place buns on serving tray or individual plates with Alfredo sauce dribbled over the top or with the sauce in a separate container for guests to sauce their own.

-Makes 12 buns and 2 cups Alfredo sauce.

Saute shallots, peppers and garlic until soft.

Place 1/2 cup filling in center of dough round.

Bring up edges and pinch together to enclose filling.

Make sure edges are pinched together so filling doesn’t come out.

Dip each ball in melted butter.

Then dip into Parmesan cheese mixture & coat surface well.

Place buns seam-side down on baking tray.

Serve baked buns with warm Alfredo sauce poured over.

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**For most things, I like to make homemade dough. If you feel the same, you can find my recipe for a basic dough I use for breadsticks, dinner rolls, calzones and this recipe, below:

Multi-Purpose Roll Dough:

1 tablespoon (1 pkg.) active dry yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 egg beaten

-Combine yeast with lukewarm water and allow to stand 10 minutes. Add butter, milk, water, sugar, salt, egg and mix about 2 minutes on low speed. Add 2 cups flour and beat well. Add the rest of the flour. Knead for 6 - 8 minutes with a dough hook on mixer or by hand on floured surface. Place in oiled bowl, turn over so dough is covered with oil and cover with plastic wrap or towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 1/2 hours.

-Push down dough and knead for a minute or so. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut 5 - 6 inch rounds from dough and let rest5 minutes. Continue with recipe above, filling each round with the chicken filling and shaping as shown.