Jamaican Curry Chicken Patties (Printable)
Golden flaky pastry pockets stuffed with spiced curried chicken, a classic Jamaican street-food favorite.
# What You Need:
→ Pastry Dough
01 - 2½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon 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
→ Curry Chicken Filling
08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
09 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional, 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 potato, peeled and diced
16 - ¾ cup (6 fl oz / 180 ml) chicken broth
17 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
19 - 2 green onions, sliced
20 - ¼ cup (2 fl oz / 60 ml) coconut milk
→ Assembly
21 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash, optional)
# Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, turmeric, curry powder, and sugar. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Drizzle in the ice water gradually, mixing 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 chopped 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 Jamaican curry powder and ground allspice to the skillet. Stir continuously and cook for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant and lightly toasted.
04 - Add the diced chicken thighs to the skillet and brown lightly on all sides. Stir in 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 tender and the chicken is cooked through.
05 - Stir in the sliced green onions and coconut milk. Cook 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.
06 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to ⅛ inch (3 mm) thickness. Using a 6-inch round cutter or bowl as a guide, cut out as many circles as possible. Re-roll scraps and repeat.
07 - 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 each patty on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
08 - Brush the tops of the patties with the beaten egg wash for a golden, glossy finish. Bake on the center rack for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown and crisp. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The turmeric stained pastry looks stunning and tastes buttery without needing any special equipment beyond a rolling pin.
- You can make the filling a day ahead, which means less stress and deeper flavors when you assemble.
- They freeze beautifully, so you can bake a batch and stash half for a rainy day when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
- Warm filling is the enemy of flaky pastry so patience during cooling truly pays off.
- Scotch bonnet peppers can burn your skin so wear gloves or wash your hands immediately after handling them.
- If the dough cracks while you roll it, let it rest at room temperature for five minutes before trying again.
03 -
- Grate the frozen butter instead of cubing it for faster, more even distribution throughout the flour.
- Dust your work surface with curry powder instead of flour when rolling for an extra hit of color and flavor on the outside.