The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
These Chicken Pillows are pure comfort food. The kids literally cheer when we make these. They cost $9.77 to make, and they serve 12 people. That’s just 81¢ per serving!
Make this Caesar Salad and Instant Pot Corn on the Cob to serve alongside these Chicken Pillows for a complete meal.
We first told you about our sister Jenna when we shared her Naughty Mashed Potatoes recipe with you. That recipe is SO GOOD! So when Jenna made this Chicken Pillows recipe for us, it was a no-brainer that we had to share it with you ASAP.
They are a homemade crescent dough crust filled with a chicken and cream cheese mixture, which are then topped with a creamy gravy. The cream cheese is seasoned with just the right seasonings giving you melt in your mouth creamy and dreamy deliciousness with every bite.
Once Jenna made them following this recipe, she knew she could never go back to the cream of chicken soup and rotisserie version she had been making previously, and neither can we.
All of our kids LOVE this dinner. They literally go nuts for these little pillows, EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.
When we make these chicken puffs, we are never in a short supply of kitchen helpers. They’re comfort food through and through for kids and adults alike.
This recipe is known by various names. Whether you call these Chicken Pillows, Chicken Puffs, or Chicken Crescent Roll-Ups, let’s all agree to call them delicious!
Ingredients and Cost
RECIPE COST: $9.77
PRICE PER SERVING: $0.81
- 1 cup milk – $0.16
- 1 ¾ Tablespoon instant yeast – $0.10
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar – $0.04
- 1 teaspoon salt – $0.01
- 18 Tablespoons butter – $1.80
- 4 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour – $0.80
- 8 oz brick cream cheese – $1.96
- ½ teaspoons ground black pepper – $0.01
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning – $0.11
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion – $0.23
- 2 ½ cups shredded chicken – $2.60
- 4 oz can sliced mushrooms – $0.98
- 2 cups chicken broth – $0.96
- Salt and pepper to taste – $0.01
To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
Instructions
- First, make the dough in a stand mixer. Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 20 minutes.
- Next, make the filling mixture. Fold in the chicken and mushrooms after first mixing the cream cheese and seasonings together.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Also, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
- Roll the dough into two 10-11 inch circles and cut the circles into eight triangle pieces. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the filling on the dough triangle’s biggest part and roll the dough like a crescent roll.
- Place the chicken pillows, seam side down, onto the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- While pillows are baking, make the gravy. Finally, spoon the gravy over the chicken pillows and serve immediately.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- You can make these with homemade dough or use 2 tubes (8 rolls in each) of crescent roll dough. If you go this route, the price for the recipe will increase to $12.06.
- You can also top these with sliced almonds.
Storage Tips
- Serve: As with most recipes with dairy products in them, you shouldn’t leave these Chicken Pillows out for longer than 2 hours.
- Store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze leftovers by placing them in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Cook’s Tools
- stand mixer
- baking sheet
- silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- mixing bowl
- pizza cutter
- medium saucepan
- whisk
Can I use canned chicken?
You can absolutely use canned chicken in this recipe. Just be sure to drain it well and season it with salt and pepper before adding it in. When draining the chicken, save the liquid to replace some of the chicken broth with it for the gravy.
Can I use canned crescent rolls instead of homemade dough?
This is a definite shortcut you can take if you are short on time. Buy two tubes of crescent rolls to give you 16 rolls.
Get Kids Involved
- Ages 2-3: They’ll love helping you roll out the dough.
- Ages 4-5: Have them unwrap the cream cheese. They can also help you roll up the pillows.
- Ages 6-8: Show them how to use the pizza cutter to cut the dough into triangles.
- Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
- Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
Discover why we love getting the kids involved in the kitchen and more tips in our How to Get Kids Involved In Cooking article.
Budget Tips
Make our Bulk Instant Pot Shredded Chicken at the beginning of the week and then use part of the chicken for this meal and still have more chicken left for additional meals as it makes 12 cups of shredded chicken.
More $10 recipes:
- 20-Minute Thai Peanut Noodles
- BBQ Chicken Braid
- Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo
- Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joes
- Instant Pot Meatloaf
- Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs
- Easy Chana Masala
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts
- Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Inside Out Chicken Pot Pie
- Instant Pot Lasagna
- Panda Express Orange Chicken Copycat
- Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Taco Soup
- Walking Tacos
Chicken Pillows
Equipment
- stand mixer
- 2 baking sheets
- silicone baking mat OR parchment paper
- mixing bowl
- pizza cutter
- medium saucepan
- whisk
Ingredients
DOUGH:
- 1 cup milk warmed to 90-110 degrees F
- 1 ¾ Tablespoon instant yeast
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 Tablespoons butter softened
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
- 8 oz brick cream cheese softened
- 8 Tablespoons salted butter softened
- ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
- 2 ½ cups shredded chicken
- 4 oz can sliced mushrooms optional
GRAVY:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
MAKE DOUGH:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add milk and yeast. Whisk and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- Add sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups of flour and mix with the paddle attachment until combined.
- Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining 2 cups of flour. Mix on medium speed until the dough is combined and no flour pockets remain.
- Increase speed to medium-high and mix for 2 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
MAKE FILLING:
- While the dough rises, make the filling. In a large bowl mix together cream cheese, butter, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and minced onion. Fold in chicken and mushrooms.
PREHEAT OVEN PREP BAKING SHEETS:
- Move the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
FILL, ROLL, AND BAKE PUFFS:
- Divide the dough into 2 equal dough balls. Place one dough ball onto a floured countertop, and keep the other covered in the mixing bowl.
- Roll the dough into a 10-11 inch circle. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 8 triangle pieces (just like you were cutting a pizza).
- Place 2-3 tablespoons of the filling on the biggest part of the dough triangle. Roll the dough like you would roll crescent rolls.
- Place the chicken puff, seam side down, onto one of the prepared baking sheets.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Placing 8 chicken puffs on each baking sheet.
BAKE:
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until the chicken puffs are golden.
MAKE GRAVY:
- While the puffs bake, make the gravy. In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt butter. Whisk in flour and continue stirring until flour is golden in color, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth and bring the mixture to a bubble. Continue to cook until the gravy has thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
TO SERVE:
- Spoon gravy over chicken puffs. Enjoy.
Nellie Tracy says
Everyone in the family are a fan of these!
Jess Jankowski says
Love it when you find a recipe everyone loves! Thanks for letting us know!
Sophie Heath says
I loved this chicken pillow recipe. My kids were obsessed with them and kept asking for more! A new family favorite!
Jess Jankowski says
So glad your kids loved it as much as ours!
Karen says
Love this recipe!
Jess Jankowski says
Same! Enjoy!
nadine mesch says
great easy recipe
Jess Jankowski says
Agreed! Thank you!
Lori Bahn says
These look quick and easy. You have some great recipes
Jess Jankowski says
They come together very easily and are super yummy. Thank you!