Sedona Appetizer Bites         
Source: Land O' Lakes

A filling rich with chicken, cheese and chilies surrounded by golden crisp phyllo dough.



Ingredients:

1 tablespoon LAND O LAKES® Butter
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño chiles
1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken breast
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Sour Cream
4 ounces (1 cup) LAND O LAKES® Cheddar Cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
12 (18x14-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, melted
Salsa, if desired


Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F. Melt butter in 10-inch skillet until sizzling; add red pepper, onion, garlic and chiles. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and liquid has evaporated (3 to 5 minutes). Add chicken and cumin; continue cooking until heated through (1 to 2 minutes). Remove from heat. Cool 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream, cheese and cilantro.

To assemble bites, place 1 sheet phyllo dough on flat surface; brush with melted butter. Top with 2 additional sheets, buttering each sheet. Trim stack using kitchen shears to 18x12 1/2 inches. Cut stack in half crosswise; cut each stack lengthwise into 2 1/2-inch strips.

Spoon 2 teaspoons filling onto center of end of each stack of strips. Form triangle by folding lower right-hand corner of each strip to opposite side. Continue folding in triangles to end of strip.

Place triangles onto ungreased baking sheet. Repeat 3 more times with remaining phyllo dough and filling. Brush appetizers with butter before baking. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with salsa, if desired.

TIP: Phyllo dough is extremely thin, papery layers of pastry dough used in Greek and mid-Eastern recipes. It dries out quickly, so brush each layer with melted butter as the sheets are stacked. It is best to keep the unused sheets of dough covered with a damp towel while assembling a recipe using phyllo. Phyllo dough can be found in the freezer section of most supermarkets. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator; thawing at room temperature may cause the sheets of dough to stick together.


Yield: 40 appetizers