Chicken-Carrot Mini Pastry Roll Boxes

Ingredients

Twelve pastry rolls

• 300 g raw ground chicken
• 100 g carrot, finely grated and squeezed dry
• 40 g finely shredded mild cheddar
• 20 g plain breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 250 g refrigerated puff pastry, thawed according to package
• 1 large egg, beaten; use half in filling and half for brushing

Sides

• 240 g cucumber, cut into short thin sticks
• 320 g orange flesh, membrane and seeds removed, cut into bite-size pieces

Equipment

Baking sheet, mixing bowl, pastry brush, instant-read thermometer

Allergens and ingredient notes: Wheat, milk, egg; puff pastry may also contain soy. Check the brand label.

Step by step

1. Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Divide the beaten egg equally between 2 small bowls. Mix chicken, grated squeezed carrot, cheddar, breadcrumbs, thyme, salt and one half of the egg. Keep the remaining egg for brushing.
2. Unroll pastry on its liner and cut into 2 equal long rectangles. Divide filling into 2 portions and form a narrow log down the center of each rectangle. Brush one long pastry edge with a little reserved egg, fold pastry over filling and press the seam shut. Place seam down.
3. Cut each long roll into 6 pieces for 12 total. Space on the tray, brush with remaining egg and cut one small steam slit in each. Bake 22–27 minutes until deeply golden and the chicken filling in the largest rolls reaches 165°F (74°C).
4. Transfer to a rack until initial steam subsides, then refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours. Once fully chilled, pack 3 rolls per box. Divide cucumber and prepared orange pieces among separate compartments. Cut rolls smaller if needed for the child’s eating skills.

The Devotti twist: Finely grated carrot keeps the chicken filling moist inside crisp pastry; all the roll ingredients are familiar and mild.

Pack it well

Pack rolls dry and chilled, with moist fruit and cucumber separated. Include a small fork if the child prefers. Refrigerate cooked food promptly in shallow containers and within 2 hours; chill fully before closing lunchboxes. Transport at 40°F (4°C) or colder in an insulated bag with two cold sources, one above and one below the food, or refrigerate on arrival. Discard perishable food left above 40°F for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).

Swaps and serving notes

Use a suitable dairy-free pastry and omit cheddar if needed; replace its weight with extra grated carrot and check dough consistency. Avoid substitutions that introduce school-restricted ingredients. Check the school’s current ingredient rules and each packaged ingredient label; no lunch is universally school-safe. Adapt bite size and firmness to the child’s age and eating skills; no skewers or toothpicks.

Make ahead and storage

Refrigerate cooked rolls up to 3 days; prepare cucumber and orange on packing day. Rolls may be eaten cold or reheated at home to 165°F (74°C), then cooled safely before cold packing. Refrigerate cooked food promptly in shallow containers and within 2 hours; chill fully before closing lunchboxes. Transport at 40°F (4°C) or colder in an insulated bag with two cold sources, one above and one below the food, or refrigerate on arrival. Discard perishable food left above 40°F for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).