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Meat, European

Vol-au-vent with fries

Vol-au-vent with fries is a Belgian dish made of puff pastry shells filled with chicken, meatballs, and mushrooms in a creamy sauce, served with fries. For 4 people, it takes 70 minutes and medium difficulty, at a cost of €3.90 per serving. The key to success is a well balanced sauce, not too thick or too thin, and pastry shells warmed in the oven right before serving to keep their crunch.

Tonight it's a Belgian classic, vol-au-vent, puff pastry shells filled with chicken, little meatballs, and mushrooms in a creamy sauce, served with fries.

Vol-au-vent with fries
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.90
Calories per person
850 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Vol-au-vent is all about that contrast between a flaky crust that shatters under your fork and a creamy filling that spills out slowly. The poached chicken stays tender, the little meatballs add some bite, and the mushrooms bring an earthy depth that gives the dish its character. A touch of lemon and nutmeg brightens the sauce without ever overpowering it.

This is the kind of dish you make for a family Sunday or for guests without any last minute stress, since everything can be prepared ahead and reheated when you need it. Kids generally love the mild sauce and the meatballs, and you can always serve the stew over rice alone if the pastry shells feel like too much for them. Mon Chou walks you through each step so the sauce stays smooth from the first whisk to the last.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken breasts 500 g
  • Ground veal and pork 200 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Button mushrooms 300 g
  • Lemon 1
  • Potatoes 1 kg

Dairy

  • Butter 60 g
  • Heavy cream 20 cl

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 50 g
  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 50 cl
  • Oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Individual vol-au-vent shells 4

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs, Celery

The step by step recipe

  1. Poach the chicken in the simmering broth, then cut it into cubes and keep the broth. 20 min

    Let the chicken cool in its broth, it stays moist that way.

  2. Shape small meatballs from the seasoned ground meat and brown them in a skillet. 8 min

    Roll them small, about the size of hazelnuts, so they cook quickly.

  3. Sauté the mushrooms in butter, add the flour, then thin it out with the poaching broth and the cream. 10 min

    Pour the broth in gradually while whisking, the sauce stays smooth.

  4. Add the chicken, meatballs, lemon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, then let it simmer gently. 10 min

    The sauce should be velvety, add more broth if needed to adjust it.

  5. Warm the pastry shells, fill them with the stew, and serve with oven fries.

    Set the pastry lid on top for a nicer presentation.

Our tips to get it right

  • Always keep a bit of broth aside at the end of cooking, it lets you loosen the sauce if it thickened too much while simmering.
  • Pick vol-au-vent shells that are a good size, deep enough to hold a generous amount of filling without spilling over.
  • Cut the potatoes into even sticks so the fries all cook at the same pace in the oven.

The variations

  • You can swap the ground veal and pork for sausage meat, the meatballs will have a bit more flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken and meatballs with a mix of mushrooms and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • To save time on a weeknight, spoon the stew straight over rice or pasta instead of filling pastry shells.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with vinaigrette
  • A glass of dry white wine
  • Applesauce for dessert

Storage

The stew keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, kept separate from the pastry shells which soften quickly. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the shells. Reheat the sauce gently on the stove and warm the vol-au-vent shells in the oven so they stay crisp.

Questions about this dish

Can you make vol-au-vent ahead of time?

Yes, make the stew the day before and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat it gently on the stove and warm the pastry shells in the oven just before serving.

Can you use a different mushroom instead of button mushrooms?

You can use seasonal mushrooms like oyster mushrooms or chanterelles for more flavor. Cut them into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.

Why poach the chicken instead of cooking it another way?

Poaching in broth keeps the chicken tender and flavors the broth, which then becomes the base of the sauce. It's a simple technique that avoids drying out the meat.

How do you keep the sauce from turning too thin or too thick?

Pour the broth in gradually while whisking after adding the flour, this avoids lumps and lets you control the texture. If it's still too thick at the end of simmering, stir in a little more broth.

How long does it take to make a vol-au-vent, puff pastry shells filled with chicken, meatballs, and mushrooms in a creamy sauce, served with fries?

Count 1 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a vol-au-vent, puff pastry shells filled with chicken, meatballs, and mushrooms in a creamy sauce, served with fries?

About 850 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a vol-au-vent, puff pastry shells filled with chicken, meatballs, and mushrooms in a creamy sauce, served with fries cost?

About €3.90 per serving, or €15.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs, celery. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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