Sign up to receive your welcome code, plus offers and updates from us.
RecipesCuisine: International
09 October 2026
Updated at: 09 October 20261 min read
Halloween Pumpkin-Shaped Chicken and Cheddar Pastries
Golden pumpkin-shaped puff pastries with a chicken and cheddar filling for a playful Halloween table.
Bring a little theatre to the Halloween table with golden, pumpkin-shaped puff pastries. The flaky parcels are filled with savoury chicken and cheddar, then shaped with kitchen twine before baking.
They make a playful addition to a party spread or an autumn supper. A roasting pan is handy for baking a batch, while a dependable kitchen knife helps with the filling. Follow the ingredients and method below to make your own.
Recipe details
Preparation
15 min
Cooking
35 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients
1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
300g chicken breast
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot paprika
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp butter
200ml milk
150g cheddar, grated
1 egg, beaten, for brushing
Food-safe kitchen twine, for shaping
Method
Filling:
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened. Add the chicken, paprika, salt and black pepper. Cook until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and no pink remains, then let it cool slightly and shred it.
Cheese sauce:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the milk, then stir in the grated cheddar a little at a time until melted and smooth. Fold in the shredded chicken.
Shape and bake:
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cut the puff pastry into squares. Spoon some filling into the centre of each square and bring the corners together to seal. Loosely tie each parcel with food-safe kitchen twine to create pumpkin-shaped segments, leaving room for the pastry to expand. Brush with beaten egg and place on a baking tray. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove the twine before serving.
