Shredded chicken is coated in a chipotle BBQ sauce and baked in puff pastry cups then topped with shredded cheese, chopped red onion, and cilantro. Serve this at your next game day party and watch how fast they disappear!
If you're looking for the perfect bite-sized snack to serve at your next party or gathering, look no further! These BBQ chicken puff pastry cups are packed with the flavors of down South BBQ in a convenient bite-sized package.
In the South, we love our BBQ, especially here in Memphis, TN, one of the top BBQ capitals in the country! By cooking the shredded chicken with onion in a skillet for a few minutes until it begins to char a bit, then mixing it with a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce, you really do get all the flavors of Southern BBQ in these cups!
Another wonderful thing about this tasty appetizer is that there's no need to cook the chicken for these if you don't have to. Just use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken that you have on hand!
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need to Make This Recipe
- Puff pastry. One sheet of frozen puff pastry is all you need for this recipe. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets ar my favorite! Thaw your puff pastry at room temperature or in the microwave.
- Extra virgin olive oil. We cook the chicken and onion in one tablespoon of oil. You can also use light tasting olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Cooked shredded chicken. You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken that you have on hand. I used some leftover boneless, skinless chicken thighs that I had in the fridge! You will need 1 ½ cups of shredded chicken.
- Yellow onion. This recipe calls for ½ cup of chopped yellow onion. The shredded chicken is cooked with the onion in a skillet until it is a bit charred. This adds amazing flavor to this recipe!
- Salt and cracked black pepper. These seasonings are used if needed to flavor the shredded chicken. If your chicken is already generously seasoned, you may not need additional salt and pepper.
- Chipotle pepper. A small amount of this spice is added to the BBQ chicken to give it the perfect amount of heat to balance with the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.
- BBQ sauce. This recipe calls for ½ cup of store-bought BBQ sauce. You can use any brand or flavor you prefer. I used Sweet Baby Ray's No Sugar Added Hickory BBQ Sauce. I highly recomemnd it if it is available in your area!
- Shredded cheddar cheese. I recommend sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe as it provides a delicious tanginess. You can also use mild cheddar if you prefer.
- Chopped cilantro and chopped red onion. These ingredients are used to top the finished BBQ chicken cups with. I know cilantro is a no-go for some people so this ingredient is optional for those who cannot stand the flavor. However, I must say the red onion is a MUST for these cups! Even if you do not like the flavor of red onion on its own, a small amount combined with the sweet and spicy BBQ chicken is AMAZING!
How to Make This Recipe
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232°C). Spray a mini muffin pan or mini square pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. I used a Wilton Mini Square Pan for these cups and it worked perfectly! A mini muffin pan also works perfectly for this recipe.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and shredded chicken and cook until the onion is translucent and the chicken begins to char a bit, about 4-6 minutes. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and chipotle pepper. Stir in the BBQ sauce, making sure all of the chicken is coated. Remove chicken from heat.
- Cut the puff pastry into 12 even-sized squares and gently press down a square into each cup of your prepared pan. Bake the puff pastry for 10 minutes.
- Use a small spoon to press down the center of each puff pastry cup to make room for the chicken. Fill each cup generously with about two tablespoons of BBQ chicken. Top the chicken with the shredded cheese and bake the cups for another 10 minutes.
- Allow the cups to cool for about 5 minutes, then top with chopped parsley and red onion. Serve immediately.
Variations and Substitutions
You can switch up the protein or toppings in these cups to create something different if you like! Try these cups with some of the following suggestions:
- Ground beef
- Pulled pork
- Shredded brisket
- Chopped jalapenos
- Chopped green onions
- Sweet corn kernels
- Diced tomatoes
What Chicken Works Best for This Recipe?
The great thing about these cups is you can use leftover chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken to save on time. White or dark meat both work great, although I find dark meat to have more flavor. I used leftover boneless, skinless chicken thighs and they turned out amazing!
If using rotisserie chicken, just remove the chicken from the bones, remove the skin, and shred the chicken by tearing it with your hands. If using boneless, skinless chicken just shred the chicken with your hands and you are ready to go!
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
You can cook the chicken with the onion and BBQ sauce a day or two ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to fully assemble your cups.
Leftover chicken cups can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. The cups can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
Recommended Tools for This Recipe
Here Are Some More Irresistible Appetizer Recipes You Will Love!
- Cheesy Cajun Chicken and Sausage Dip
- BBQ Salmon Nachos
- Cripsy Avocado Egg Rolls with Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce
- Cranberry Meatballs
📖 Recipe
Sweet & Spicy BBQ Chicken Puff Pastry Cups
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 tablespoon oil extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
- ½ - 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper
- ½ cup BBQ sauce store-bought
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- Chopped fresh cilantro and chopped red onion for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232°C). Spray a mini muffin pan or mini square pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and shredded chicken and cook until the onion is translucent and the chicken begins to char a bit, about 4-6 minutes. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and chipotle pepper. Stir in the BBQ sauce, making sure all of the chicken is coated. Remove chicken from heat.
- Cut the puff pastry into 12 even-sized squares and gently press down a square into each cup of your prepared pan. Bake the puff pastry for 10 minutes.
- Use a small spoon to press down the center of each puff pastry cup to make room for the chicken. Fill each cup generously with about two tablespoons of BBQ chicken. Top the chicken with the shredded cheese and bake the cups for another 10 minutes.
- Allow the cups to cool for about 5 minutes, then top with chopped parsley and red onion. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken that you have on hand.
- Leftover chicken cups can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. The cups can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
Marlon Boyd
I can’t wait to try these!!! My fam will love them!
Ashley Boyd
I hope you all love them!