Chicken, Cranberry & Camembert Filo Tarts
These Chicken, Cranberry & Camembert Filo Tarts are one of those recipes that look far more impressive than the amount of effort they require. With crisp, golden filo pastry, a creamy chicken filling, sweet cranberry sauce, and melted camembert on top, they’re perfect for entertaining, lunch platters, special occasions, or simply when you feel like making something a little different. You can easily change up the cheese and use Brie or cheddar instead.
I particularly love recipes like this because they can be served warm or cold, which makes them ideal for preparing ahead of time. They’re also a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken and transform it into something that feels a little bit special.
The combination of chicken, cranberry, and camembert works beautifully together. The creamy filling balances the tart sweetness of the cranberry sauce, while the camembert adds a rich, indulgent finish that takes these little tarts to the next level.
Whether you’re making them for a Christmas platter, afternoon tea, brunch, or a light lunch, these filo tarts are always a crowd-pleaser.
Watch the Video
I originally shared this recipe over on my YouTube channel, where I walk through the process of creating the filo pastry baskets and assembling the tarts.
If you’ve never worked with filo pastry before, don’t let it intimidate you. Layering the pastry into muffin tins is much simpler than it looks and creates a beautifully crisp shell once baked.
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Recipe Card
Makes: 12 tarts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 375g filo pastry
- 1½ cups cooked chicken, diced
- 225g cream cheese, softened
- 3 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼–½ cup cranberry sauce
- 125g brie or camembert, sliced and cut into small pieces
- 3–4 Tbsp melted butter
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Lightly grease a standard 12-hole muffin tin and brush with a little melted butter.
- Cut the filo pastry into squares large enough to line the muffin cups.
- Working with one piece at a time, layer six sheets into each muffin cup, alternating the angles to create a basket shape.
- In a bowl, combine the diced chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, spinach, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix until well combined.
- Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of the chicken mixture into each filo case.
- Add approximately ½ teaspoon of cranberry sauce to each tart.
- Top with another small spoonful of the chicken mixture.
- Place two small pieces of camembert on top of each tart.
- Brush the exposed filo pastry edges with the remaining melted butter.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the filling is bubbling.
- If the filo begins browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil during the final few minutes of cooking.
- Allow the tarts to cool slightly before carefully removing from the muffin tin. Serve warm or cold.
What to Serve with This Recipe
- Green salad
- Coleslaw
- Fresh fruit platter
- Soup
- Cheese board
- Picnic lunch spread
Stacey’s Kitchen Tips
- Keep filo pastry covered with a damp tea towel while working to prevent it drying out.
- Don’t worry if the filo layers look rustic — that’s part of their charm.
- Softened cream cheese makes the filling much easier to mix.
- These tarts can be made ahead and served at room temperature.
Variations & Substitutions
- Use brie instead of camembert.
- Replace the chicken with leftover turkey.
- Swap cranberry sauce for apricot or red onion chutney.
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans for extra texture.
- Use frozen spinach if preferred (thaw and squeeze out excess moisture first).
Storage, Freezer & Make-Ahead Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the oven or air fryer to crisp the pastry.
Final Thoughts
These little tarts are one of those recipes that always seem to disappear quickly whenever they’re served. The combination of crisp pastry, creamy filling, sweet cranberry sauce, and melted camembert creates a balance of flavours that’s hard to resist.
I particularly love having recipes like this tucked away for entertaining because they can be prepared ahead, look beautiful on a platter, and always feel a little bit special without requiring hours in the kitchen.
If you’re looking for a savoury recipe that’s perfect for gatherings, lunch platters, or festive occasions, these Chicken, Cranberry & Camembert Filo Tarts are well worth making.
Stacey
Chicken, Cranberry & Camembert Filo Tarts
Ingredients
- 375 g filo pastry
- 1½ cups cooked chicken diced
- 225 g cream cheese softened
- 3 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ cup fresh spinach finely chopped
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼-½ cup cranberry sauce
- 125 g camembert sliced and cut into small pieces
- 3-4 Tbsp melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Lightly grease a standard 12-hole muffin tin and brush with a little melted butter.
- Cut the filo pastry into squares large enough to line the muffin cups.
- Working with one piece at a time, layer six sheets into each muffin cup, alternating the angles to create a basket shape.
- In a bowl, combine the diced chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, spinach, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix until well combined.
- Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of the chicken mixture into each filo case.
- Add approximately ½ teaspoon of cranberry sauce to each tart.
- Top with another small spoonful of the chicken mixture.
- Place two small pieces of camembert on top of each tart.
- Brush the exposed filo pastry edges with the remaining melted butter.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the filling is bubbling.
- If the filo begins browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil during the final few minutes of cooking.
- Allow the tarts to cool slightly before carefully removing from the muffin tin. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
Notes
- Keep filo pastry covered while assembling the tarts to prevent it drying out.
- Frozen spinach can be used in place of fresh spinach; thaw and squeeze out excess liquid first.
- Camembert can be replaced with brie if preferred.
Variations
- Swap cranberry sauce for apricot chutney.
- Use turkey instead of chicken.
- Add chopped nuts for extra texture.
Storage
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the oven or air fryer for best results.
