This Chicken Pinwheel Crescent Wreath is the ultimate appetizer! Soft crescent rolls are filled with seasoned cream cheese, chicken, and spinach, then cut into pinwheels and shaped into a wreath.
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An Easy and Gorgeous Christmas Appetizer Idea
Everyone loves a crescent ring, made with flaky crescent dough and savory filling. This one is the perfect combination of simple and scrumptious, made with an irresistible filling of chicken, cream cheese, and spinach. It’s easy to pull together, too!
Make this simple appetizer to start a holiday meal off right, or to make your Christmas Eve wrapping marathon a little more festive. It’s also great for brunches, parties, and potlucks! This is the kind of dish that everyone wants the recipe for.
(Looking for more great crescent roll recipes? Try this Pulled Pork Crescent Ring or Cheesy Ranch Pigs in a Blanket!)
What You’ll Need
So what will you need to make this pinwheel crescent wreath? Glad you asked. Here’s the list of ingredients (be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for amounts and nutrition info).
- Crescent Dough: Refrigerated crescent roll dough makes this wreath super simple to whip up.
- Cream Cheese: Go for seasoned cream cheese – I like garlic and herb. Let it soften a bit before using it.
- Chicken: Cooked and shredded. This is a nice way to use up leftover chicken you stashed in the freezer!
- Spinach: Fresh spinach adds contrast and color.
- Garnishes: Rosemary sprigs make a perfect garnish, along with fresh tomatoes or red bell pepper cut into shapes.
Is Crescent Roll Dough the Same as Puff Pastry?
These two are similar, but not quite the same. Both are laminated, meaning they’re made with lots of layers of pastry and butter. But crescent roll dough is also made with yeast, giving it a different flavor. Also, the layers may not be quite as defined in crescent roll dough. However, both are airy, buttery, and basically addictive! And while you can sometimes substitute one for the other, I would not recommend it in this recipe. The pinwheel pastries are thin and soft, while puff pastry will give you a thicker, more crisp result.
How to Make a Chicken Pinwheel Crescent Wreath
Making a pinwheel crescent wreath is easy and fun – and if you don’t work with pastry much, this is your chance to do it with no stress! Crescent roll dough is super forgiving and practically foolproof.
- Prep Your Oven and Baking Sheet. To get started, preheat your oven to 375°F. Next, line a large round pan, or cookie sheet, with parchment paper so the crescent wreath won’t stick.
- Fill the Crescent Rolls and Cut Pinwheels. Open your crescent roll dough, and unroll each sheet. Spread cream cheese over the dough, and sprinkle the chicken over the cream cheese. Top with spinach leaves. Then roll the dough back up, and cut the rolls into 4 pieces. Cut each piece into fourths. These are your pinwheels. You’ll need a sharp knife for this!
- Make the Wreath. Arrange eleven or twelve of the pinwheels in the middle of your baking sheet, to make a large circle. Then use the rest of the pinwheels to make a second ring. The pinwheels should overlap slightly so that they all stick together.
- Bake the Wreath. Place your baking sheet into the preheated oven, and let the wreath bake for 20 – 24 minutes, or until the pastry is a light golden-brown color.
- Decorate as Desired. Once the pinwheel crescent wreath is baked, decorate it with rosemary sprigs, tomatoes, and/or stars cut out of red bell pepper. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Christmas Appetizer
These easy tips will help you make the most of this pinwheel crescent wreath recipe. Check them out, and happy baking!
- Bell Pepper Garnish: You can use a mini cookie cutter to punch out stars from the red bell pepper. You can also cut them freehand with a small knife, or make other shapes if you prefer.
- Chicken Alternative: Use lunchmeat instead of shredded chicken for a different flavor and texture. Ham is a great choice, as is turkey.
- Flavored Cream Cheese: I like to use garlic and herb cream cheese for extra flavor in the pinwheels. You can also season plain cream cheese with your own favorite seasonings, like dry ranch dressing mix or Italian seasoning.
What to Serve with a Crescent Wreath
I love serving a few different appetizers together, to make a tempting starter for a meal. To go with this pinwheel wreath, try…
- Something Sweet: A sweet treat like traditional Ambrosia Salad makes a gorgeous contrast to savory appetizers like this chicken and cream cheese wreath. So yummy!
- Something with Dip: A good hot dip is always a win around here. Hot Bacon, Crab, and Corn Dip knocks it out of the park!
- Extra Veggies: It’s hard to turn down crisp, cool veggies as an appetizer. They’re just so good, and a nice change from all things hot and cheesy. Set out a tray of crudites, or just make a bowl of The Best Texas Caviar.
Storing and Reheating Guidelines
If you have leftovers, make sure to store them safely in an airtight container in your fridge. They should keep for up to 5 days.
If you’d like to warm up the leftovers, just reheat on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 325°F, until heated through.
Can I Freeze It?
Because crescent dough can become soggy when frozen and thawed, I don’t recommend freezing this. If you are concerned that you’ll have too many leftovers, you could try cutting the recipe in half to make a smaller appetizer.
Chicken Pinwheel Crescent Wreath
Ingredients
- 2 packages, 8 ounces refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 cup garlic and herb cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
- Fresh rosemary, for decorating
- Red pepper or tomatoes, for decorating
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large round pan, or cookie sheet, with parchment paper.
- Unroll the crescent roll dough sheets and spread each one with the cream cheese.
- Sprinkle the chicken over the cream cheese, and top with spinach leaves.
- Roll the crescent dough back up, and cut the rolls into 4 pieces. Then cut each piece into fourths, to make thin pinwheels.
- Place 11 to 12 pinwheels in a circle in the middle of the prepared baking sheet, overlapping them. Use the remaining pinwheels to create a second ring, make sure to overlap each one. (See the step-by-step photos above in the post for guidance.)
- Place the wreath in the preheated oven, and bake for 20 – 24 minutes, or until the pinwheels are lightly golden in color.
- Cut small stars or other desired shapes from the red bell pepper. Decorate the wreath with rosemary sprigs and bell pepper shapes. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Categories:
More Holiday Appetizers
- Cranberry Brie Bites
- Easy Bisquick Sausage Balls
- Smoked Fish Dip
- Pinecone Cheese Ball
- Holiday Cheeseball Wreath
- Dill Pickle Cheeseball
- Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Honey Pecan Cheese Ball Truffles
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