Chicken Wellington in the Air Fryer
Chicken Wellington is juicy chicken breasts wrapped in crisp puff pastry with a dense mushroom filling of button mushrooms and fresh herbs. A celebration dish that looks impressive but is straightforward to make in the air fryer.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pande
- 1 Parchment paper (for air fryer)
- 1 Brush
- 1 Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 pcs chicken breast fillets About 150 g each
1 tsp salt- 0.5 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil For browning
Mushroom filling
- 300 g button mushrooms Finely chopped
- 1 pcs shallot Finely chopped
- 2 clove garlic Finely chopped
- 25 g butter
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme Finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley Finely chopped
- 0.5 tsp salt For the filling
Assembly
- 4 pcs puff pastry sheets Thawed
- 8 slice Parma ham
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 pcs egg For brushing
Instructions
Preparation
- Chop 300 g button mushrooms, 1 pcs shallot and 2 clove garlic very finely. The finer the chop, the denser and more even the mushroom filling becomes.
- Fry the mushroom mixture in 25 g butter in a frying pan over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mixture is dark and dry.
- Add 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 2 tbsp fresh parsley and 0.5 tsp salt. Stir and take the pan off the heat.
- Season 4 pcs chicken breast fillets on all sides with 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp freshly ground pepper. Pat them dry with kitchen paper first, so the seasoning sticks.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the frying pan over a high heat and brown the chicken breasts for 1-2 minutes on each side, so they take on colour. They should not be cooked through at this stage.
- Leave both the mushroom filling and the chicken to cool completely, at least 10 minutes. Warm filling melts the puff pastry and gives you a soggy base.
Assembly
- Spread 2 tbsp Dijon mustard in a thin layer in the middle of 4 pcs puff pastry sheets, which you have unrolled on a cutting board.
- Lay 8 slice Parma ham on top of the mustard, two slices per sheet, and spread the mushroom filling evenly over them.
- Wrap the puff pastry tightly around one chicken breast per sheet. Press the edges firmly together and turn the parcels over so the seam faces down.
- Prick two or three small holes in the top of each parcel with a sharp knife, so the steam can escape during baking.
- Brush the whole surface of the parcels with 1 pcs egg, lightly beaten, so the puff pastry bakes golden.
- Cover the parcels with cling film and chill them for 20 minutes. Cold puff pastry rises better and holds its shape in the air fryer.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C fan.
- Line the basket with baking paper for air fryers, so the puff pastry does not stick.
- Bake two parcels at a time at 180 °C for 20-22 minutes, leaving plenty of space between them. Do not turn them over during baking — instead rotate them half a turn after 12 minutes, so they brown evenly.
- Check the core temperature with a meat thermometer. The chicken should be 75 °C in the middle. Give it another 2-4 minutes at 180 °C if it is not there yet.
- Repeat with the last two parcels, keeping the first ones warm under foil in the meantime.
Serving
- Serve the parcels after 5 minutes' resting — whole or cut on the diagonal, so the layers of puff pastry, Parma ham, mushroom filling and chicken stand out.
Notes
Tips for a perfect result:
The mushroom filling must be completely dry and completely cold before it meets the puff pastry. Steam from warm filling is the most common reason a Wellington turns out soggy on the bottom. Variation:
Swap the Parma ham for thin slices of bacon, or stir 50 g cream cheese into the mushroom filling for a creamier result. If you want to serve Chicken Wellington as a starter, cut each chicken breast in two and make eight smaller parcels — baking time about 14-16 minutes. Serving:
Serve with a cream or red wine sauce, steamed green beans and small roast potatoes. Chicken Wellington or chicken in puff pastry?
Chicken Wellington is the classic Wellington version with a mushroom duxelles, a layer of ham and puff pastry all the way round. Plain chicken in puff pastry is a simpler dish, where the chicken is usually wrapped in puff pastry with cheese or pesto, without the mushroom filling and the layer of ham. Portion size:
If you have a large air fryer, you can bake all four parcels at once — but they must not touch each other, or the puff pastry will not crisp up all the way round.
The mushroom filling must be completely dry and completely cold before it meets the puff pastry. Steam from warm filling is the most common reason a Wellington turns out soggy on the bottom. Variation:
Swap the Parma ham for thin slices of bacon, or stir 50 g cream cheese into the mushroom filling for a creamier result. If you want to serve Chicken Wellington as a starter, cut each chicken breast in two and make eight smaller parcels — baking time about 14-16 minutes. Serving:
Serve with a cream or red wine sauce, steamed green beans and small roast potatoes. Chicken Wellington or chicken in puff pastry?
Chicken Wellington is the classic Wellington version with a mushroom duxelles, a layer of ham and puff pastry all the way round. Plain chicken in puff pastry is a simpler dish, where the chicken is usually wrapped in puff pastry with cheese or pesto, without the mushroom filling and the layer of ham. Portion size:
If you have a large air fryer, you can bake all four parcels at once — but they must not touch each other, or the puff pastry will not crisp up all the way round.
Nutrition
Calories: 640kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 42gFat: 38gSaturated fat: 16gPolyunsaturated fat: 3gMonounsaturated fat: 15gTrans fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 1150mgPotassium: 620mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 3mgNet carbohydrates: 22g
