Jamaican Curry Chicken Patties (Print View)
Golden flaky pastry stuffed with aromatic curried chicken and potato, a classic Jamaican street-food favorite.
# What You Need:
→ Flaky Pastry Dough
01 - 2½ cups (315 g) 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 / 225 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
07 - ½ cup (4 fl oz / 120 ml) ice water, plus more as needed
→ Curried Chicken Filling
08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
09 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely minced (adjust to taste)
12 - 2 teaspoons Jamaican curry powder
13 - ½ teaspoon ground allspice
14 - 14 oz (400 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced small
15 - 1 small russet potato, peeled and diced
16 - ¾ cup (6 fl oz / 180 ml) 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 (2 fl oz / 60 ml) coconut milk
→ Assembly
21 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
# How-To Steps:
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. Drizzle in the ice water one tablespoon 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. Sauté the chopped onion until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and Scotch bonnet pepper, stirring for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the curry powder and ground allspice, toasting the spices for 1 minute until deeply fragrant.
03 - Add the diced chicken thighs to the skillet and brown lightly on all sides, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in the diced potato, chicken broth, and fresh thyme leaves. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 to 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 over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture thickens and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely to room temperature.
05 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to approximately ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Using a 6-inch round cutter or bowl, cut out as many circles as possible, re-rolling scraps as needed.
06 - Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cooled filling onto one half of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape and press the edges together firmly. Crimp the sealed edges with a fork to ensure they stay closed during baking. Arrange the patties on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart.
07 - Brush the top of each patty with the beaten egg for a rich golden finish. Bake on the center rack for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp.
08 - Transfer the patties to a wire rack and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. The filling will be extremely hot straight from the oven. Serve warm with mango chutney or a simple green salad.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- That turmeric stained pastry shatters into buttery flakes with every single bite.
- The filling tastes like it simmered all day but honestly comes together in under thirty minutes.
- They freeze beautifully so you can stash a batch and reheat them on bleary mornings when you need something substantial.
02 -
- Let the filling cool completely before assembling or the butter in your pastry will melt and you will lose every bit of flakiness.
- Do not skip the resting time for the dough because it relaxes the gluten and makes rolling out infinitely easier.
03 -
- Use a light hand when mixing the dough because the less you work it the more tender and flaky your pastry will be.
- A tablespoon of vinegar in the ice water helps keep the crust tender and easier to roll without changing the flavor.