I love a good frozen snack, some of my favourites are samosas, kebabs and savoury pastries.

All of these snacks can be made well in advance and stored until they’re needed. Whilst I do love a good homemade samosa made from fresh dough, sometimes cutting corners and using a staple we all have at home, bread, can be just as satisfying. It’s no secret that I’m a carb lover (shout out to all my fellow carbies) – bread has to be without a doubt my FAVOURITE carb, I prefer it over rice and pasta and eat it almost everyday. Almost. So when you combine bread, chicken and cheese in a snack, you know it’s gonna be epic. Not to sound too dramatic, but these Chicken and Cheese Triangles totally are!

These Chicken and Cheese Triangles can be made vegetarian friendly by replacing the chicken mince with soya mince, which is quite easily available from most major supermarkets. The filling is very versatile and can be used to make a number of different snacks, not just this recipe. Try using the filling in puff pastry or spring roll pastry for a variation, or how about using it in shortcrust pastry and shaping like these Pyramids? They taste equally as good.

I love adding vegetables to most of my fillings, this not only is a way of getting children to eat veggies, it also helps to stretch the filling a little further which is always a good thing. In this recipe I have used petits pois but you can use frozen mixed vegetables, mushrooms (this tastes really good) or even diced potatoes.

The amount of chilli used in this recipe isn’t a great deal if you’re used to having chilli on a regular basis, however if you aren’t a fan of spicy food you can always reduce the amount of chilli I have used to suit your taste.

I’ve used standard white bread for this recipe although I’m pretty certain you could also use brown bread for this too. While the Chicken and Cheese Triangles do take a while to make (the rolling, cutting and dipping is time consuming) the reward in terms of taste is SO worth it. I’m pretty certain these Chicken and Cheese Triangles will be a hit in your house, just as they are in mine!

You will need: for Chicken and Cheese Triangles

For the filling:
750g chicken mince
2 medium onions
4 tbsp oil
1.5 tsp ginger
1.5 tsp garlic
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
150g – 200g petit pois (or a vegetable of your choice)
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
handful of chopped coriander
200g soft cheese

For the triangles:
25 – 28 slices of bread
3 – 4 tsp plain flour mixed with a little water (this will act as glue)
8 – 10 eggs (for dipping the bread)
milk (as needed to thin the eggs out)
breadcrumbs

Method:

Start by peeling and dicing 2 medium onions.

In a large frying pan heat 4 tbsp of oil.

Once the oil is hot add in the diced onions, 1.5 tsp ginger and 1.5 tsp garlic (my garlic looks green because I forgot to add oil to it when mincing but it tastes fine).

Fry for a couple of minutes.

Add in the spices and salt: 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1 tsp salt and mix through, fry for a minute or two.

Next add in the chicken mince and keep stirring to break up the chicken, I like to cook over a high heat to help solidify the chicken mince as quickly as possible. If you don’t keep mixing the filling will become clumpy so it’s really important to stir while this cooks.

Cook the chicken uncovered to allow the juices released to evaporate.

Once the chicken is opaque all over and most of the moisture has evaporated add in 150g – 200g of vegetables, I’m using petit pois (small peas) but frozen mixed vegetables, mushrooms and potatoes work just as well.

Turn the heat down and cover to cook through the vegetables for a few minutes.

In the meantime coarsely crush 1 tsp of coriander seeds and 1 tsp of cumin seeds for adding to the filling, this will add a wonderful aroma and texture to the filling.

As soon as the vegetables are cooked, add in 1 tsp of chilli flakes, the coarsely crushed cumin and coriander and some fresh/frozen chopped coriander.

Stir it all through, cook for a minute and then remove from the heat.

Allow the mince to cool for 10 minutes and then add in 200g of soft cheese. The filling should still be warm, NOT hot, so that the cheese mixes in easily without melting too much. Once the filling is cool enough you can start to roll and fill the triangles.

Take one slice of bread and lay it flat on your worktop….

….using the rolling pin flatten the bread back and forth up and down.

Next flip the bread over and go from side to side, ensure you press out any air from the bread and completely flatten, this makes it easier to bend and shape the bread.

Cut the bread into a right angled triangle by folding the slice of bread over as shown in the photo (bottom left) and cutting the excess away using a sharp knife.

Turn the bread and cut away the crust on the remaining side.

Mix together 3 – 4 tsp of plain flour and some water to make a smooth, fairly thick paste, this will act as glue to seal the triangles.

Apply the flour glue to two edges of the square, add enough filling to the bread (I used a little over one teaspoon)….

….and seal.

Press the edges firmly together to ensure they are completely sealed, as shown in the bottom left photo.

To SPEED UP making the triangles, it’s best to FIRST roll/cut all the squares, NEXT fill/seal and LASTLY dip/coat them in the egg and breadcrumbs.

Use two dishes, crack the eggs into one (whisk with some milk to thin the eggs out) and pour breadcrumbs into the other.

Dip the triangles into the egg mixture first, keep a spoon handy for coating the triangles with the breadcrumbs as it can get very messy otherwise.

I use my right hand for firstly dipping the triangles into the egg, then use the spoon (again with my right hand) to coat the triangles with the breadcrumbs. I pat the breadcrumbs on using my left hand, which is dry, and then remove the triangle from the breadcrumbs with the left hand too. So remember, when dipping/coating = use your right hand, patting/removing = use your left hand, comprende?

Now repeat this process for the remaining slices of bread!

Place the filled triangles on a flat tray and then freeze. Once solid you can place them in a freezer bag or container.

To cook the triangles, defrost in the microwave for a few minutes or allow to thaw at room temperature for 20 mins. You should deep fry the triangles in hot oil for a few minutes either side until golden and crispy. Alternatively brush/spray with oil, place on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven (gas mark 6, 200°C, 400°F) for 20 – 25 minutes until golden and crispy.

Serve the pastries with your favourite dipping sauces and enjoy – you’ll glad this recipe makes plenty because they’re so moreish, everyone will want more!

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