Bert's Chicken 'n Corn 'n Salsa Crescent

8 servings Prep: 25 m Cook: 50 m Total: 1 h 15 m Intermediate
The author is a great Cajun cook and is always conjuring up recipes. Although, she has more choices, she mixes a lil of this and a lil of that just like our mothers and grandmothers did. This crowd-pleasing crescent ring features chicken, corn, salsa, and melted cheese wrapped in flaky pastry.

Ingredients

8 servings
  • 3 cans crescent rolls or puff pastry, cut in triangle crescent size
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped fine
  • 3 - 4 cloves garlic minced fine
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup cheddar or pepper jack cheese
  • salt, black pepper, onion and garlic powder, to taste
  • 1 - 2 cups chopped chicken
  • 1 egg, beaten

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a medium sauce pan, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic for about 10-15 minutes until softened, then add the frozen corn and salsa. Cook down a little while longer until all is heated throughout.
  3. Add the sour cream, mixing well.
  4. Add chicken and seasonings. The mixture should not be runny; therefore if needed cook some of the moisture out of the dish, about 5 more minutes.
  5. Heat this thoroughly and then add the shredded cheese, stirring until melted. Set aside to cool a little before assembling.
  6. Arrange your crescent rolls on parchment paper fitted onto a cookie sheet or a pizza pan. You should have the big part of the crescent towards the middle and the point part towards you with an empty circle (hole) in the middle. Author’s note - (You should have a hole in middle of pan; the meat mixture goes on the inside of that).
  7. Fill the wider part of the pastry with the meat mixture. It will give the appearance of a tunnel. Take your pastry and fold them over the middle; you will have to stretch the pastry so it can cover the ring well or use scraps to fill the holes (see photo).
  8. Beat an egg and brush the egg over the ring.
  9. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until the crust browns beautifully. Author adds that you could make a beef and mushroom filling. The possibilities are endless. See also our Boudin Crescent Ring for another variation.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my filling too runny?

A: Cook the mixture longer after adding the salsa and corn to evaporate excess moisture. The filling should be thick enough to stay in place when you fold the pastry over.

Q: How do I keep the crescent ring from falling apart?

A: Make sure to stretch the pastry points to meet in the middle and pinch seams together. Use scraps to patch any gaps, and the egg wash will help seal everything.

Q: Can I make this ahead?

A: Yes, you can prepare the filling up to a day ahead and refrigerate. Assemble and bake just before serving for the flakiest crust.

Tips and Techniques

Let the filling cool for 10-15 minutes before assembling so it doesn’t melt the pastry. This also makes it easier to handle and helps the ring hold its shape during baking.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • chicken: rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey
  • crescent rolls: puff pastry sheets cut into triangles
  • cheddar or pepper jack cheese: Monterey Jack or Mexican blend

Equipment Needed

  • medium sauce pan
  • cookie sheet or pizza pan
  • parchment paper
  • pastry brush

Historical Context

Crescent rings became popular in South Louisiana home cooking as a way to stretch ingredients and create impressive-looking party food with minimal effort.