Chicken Mushroom Strudel

1. Stage

Remove meat from roasted chicken by tearing it into bite-size pieces with your hands.

2. Stage

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir and cook until mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Season with remaining salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds.

3. Stage

Pour in heavy cream and cook, stirring, until thickened, gold and bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and mix in fresh tarragon. Add chicken and stir until sauce is absorbed into the chicken and mushroom mixture. Place mixture into a bowl. Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Fold in Gruyere cheese and mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until filling is chilled, at least 30 minutes.

4. Stage

Set out puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured parchment paper and roll out to a 12 x 15 inches rectangle. Lightly dust the surface of the puff pastry with flour and place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Roll out the pastry sheet so that it lays flat. Transfer with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet and freeze for about 10 minutes so it is firmed up.

5. Stage

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C).

6. Stage

Move dough onto a work surface with the parchment paper. Using the tip of a knife, lightly score the pastry into 3 strips lengthwise. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut away the top 2 corners of the top so it resembles a triangle shape. Take one of the corner pieces that was removed and use water to stick it to the middle section of the bottom (which will help with sealing the strudel).

7. Stage

Starting at the scored center section by the pointy side, make 3/4 inch cuts all the way down one side, following the angle of the top. Repeat on the other side following the top angle and creating the same number of sections as on the first side. Transfer parchment paper with dough onto a baking sheet.

8. Stage

Add 1/2 of the chicken mushroom filling to the middle section. Fold the top and bottom of the middle section pastry over the top of the filling. Start folding the dough strips alternately over the filling, covering the entire strudel. Trim off excess dough. Brush the top of the pastry with a beaten egg.

9. Stage

Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until golden brown and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice and serve. Chef John