Jamaican Curry Chicken Patties (Printer-friendly)
Crispy turmeric pastry pockets stuffed with spiced curried chicken, a true taste of Jamaica.
# What you'll need:
→ Flaky Turmeric-Curry Pastry
01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
04 - 1 teaspoon curry powder
05 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
06 - 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
07 - ½ cup ice water, plus more as needed
→ Curried Chicken Filling
08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
09 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional, adjust to taste)
12 - 2 teaspoons Jamaican curry powder
13 - ½ teaspoon ground allspice
14 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into small dice
15 - 1 small russet potato, peeled and diced
16 - ¾ cup chicken broth
17 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
18 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
19 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
20 - ¼ cup coconut milk
→ Assembly
21 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash, optional)
# Method:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, turmeric, curry powder, and sugar. Add the cubed cold butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Drizzle in the ice water a little at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Flatten into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
02 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and Scotch bonnet pepper, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the diced chicken thighs to the skillet and lightly brown on all sides. Sprinkle in the Jamaican curry powder and ground allspice, stirring to coat the chicken evenly. Add the diced potato, chicken broth, and fresh thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10–12 minutes until the potato is fork-tender and the chicken is cooked through.
04 - Stir in the sliced scallions and coconut milk. Continue cooking uncovered for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely before assembling the patties.
05 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about ⅛-inch thickness. Using a 6-inch round cutter or bowl as a guide, cut out as many circles as possible, re-rolling scraps as needed.
06 - Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled filling onto one half of each dough circle. Fold the other half over to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges together firmly and crimp with a fork to seal. Place the assembled patties on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
07 - Brush the tops of the patties with beaten egg for a glossy golden finish, if desired. Bake on the center rack for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That turmeric stained pastry is show stopping without any fuss, and people always assume you bought them from a bakery.
- The filling freezes beautifully, so you can make a double batch and have patties ready for unexpected guests or lazy weeknights.
02 -
- The filling must be completely cold before you stuff the pastry, or the butter will melt and you will end up with dense, greasy patties instead of flaky ones.
- Scotch bonnet peppers are no joke, and the heat concentrates in the seeds and membranes, so seed them carefully and wash your hands twice before touching your face.
03 -
- Chill your bowl and pastry cutter in the freezer for 10 minutes before making the dough, and the butter stays cold with far less effort on your part.
- Brush the sealed edges with a tiny bit of water before crimping if the dough feels dry, because a dry seal will pop open in the oven and leak filling everywhere.