Mini Kentucky Hot Brown Bites in Crispy Phyllo Shells

ByHeather Bilyeu
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These mini Kentucky hot brown bites are the ultimate mini appetizer, perfect to serve at your Derby party! Packed full of the classic hot brown flavors like tender turkey breast and creamy Mornay sauce. They're oven-baked for just 10 minutes until perfectly warm and golden. Whether you're hosting or heading to a Derby party, this easy recipe makes 30 delicious bites that are sure to disappear fast.

mini hot browns on a silver tray and on a red background. glasses of bourbon in the background.

Y'all know this Kentucky girl has to share another Derby recipe this season. Born and raised in central Kentucky and now living in Louisville, home of the fastest two minutes in sports, Derby week is something we truly celebrate big time around here!

Whether you're heading to the track or hosting friends at home, these hot brown bites are the perfect addition to your Derby spread. They're easy to prep ahead, simple to bake, and made for feeding a crowd. I love to wash them down with a cold classic mint julep and serve them alongside my benedictine tea sandwiches and bourbon chocolate pecan pie bars for my guests...a personal party menu I would serve that feels like it's straight outta Churchill Downs itself!

A frying pan on a stovetop contains uncooked, sliced strips of bacon arranged unevenly across the cooking surface. The pan rests on a granite countertop.
Taking some kitchen shears, cut bacon into small bits over a large skillet.
A frying pan on a stovetop with chopped bacon sizzling and being stirred with a wooden spatula; a whisk, seasoning bottle, and paper towel are nearby on the granite countertop.
Heat to medium and cook until brown and crispy.
Chopped cooked bacon pieces are spread on a paper towel, which sits on a yellow oval plate. The plate is placed on a speckled granite countertop.
Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the cooked bacon and place on a paper towel lined plate to cool until needed.

⭐️ Pro Tip ⭐️ - when I make any recipes using bacon, I love just using kitchen shears to cut into bits straight into the skillet and fry it up that way. IMO it's easier and less to clean up than cooking the strips, cooling, and then dirtying up a cutting board and knife to chop.

A small saucepan on a stovetop contains a pat of butter and a pile of flour, with more flour scattered on the stove and nearby countertop.
While the cooking the bacon, you can start the sauce. Add the butter and flour to a pot over medium low heat.
A small pot with a light yellow, bubbling liquid is heating on a black glass stove top with circular burner outlines. The countertop is speckled gray and white.
Cook untill the butter is melted for a couple minutes - it cooks the flour taste out.
A hand pours milk from a measuring cup into a saucepan containing a yellow mixture, on a black electric stovetop with a granite countertop.
Slowly pour in the mlk while whisking.
A hand with red nail polish is whisking a creamy mixture in a small saucepan on a black electric stovetop. The saucepan is on a granite countertop next to a wooden cutting board.
Whisk for about 5-10 minutes cooking on low until it slowly thickens.
A pile of freshly grated cheese sits on a wooden cutting board beside a metal box grater and a block of cheese, on a granite countertop with white subway tile backsplash.
Grate the parmesan while it's cooking.
A small saucepan with a creamy white sauce and shredded cheese being whisked on a stovetop. Nearby are containers of salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg on a granite countertop.
Whisk in the cheese and spices until the cheese is melted and sauce is thick and creamy. Remove from the heat after.
Sliced and diced cooked pork on a wooden cutting board with a chefs knife, set on a kitchen countertop next to a glass mixing bowl.
It's assembly time - chop and dice turkey breast into small cubes.
A glass bowl on a wooden cutting board contains chopped cooked bacon, diced turkey, and halved cherry tomatoes, arranged in separate sections. The background shows a granite countertop and white tile backsplash.
Add to a large bowl with the cooked bacon and diced tomatoes.

⭐️ PRO TIP ⭐️ - grate your own parmesan cheese for this recipe. The extra effort it takes will result in a smooth sauce and better results. If you use pre-grated cheese, the powdered coating on it will clump and create a weird texture.

A saucepan pours creamy white sauce into a glass bowl containing chopped cooked chicken, bacon bits, and diced cherry tomatoes on a wooden cutting board.
Pour in the sauce...
Stirring together a turkey and sauce mixture with a blue spatula in a large bowl on a cutting board.
...and mix well with a spatula.
2 boxes of Athens phyllo shells on a kitchen counter.
Remove the phyllo shells from the freezer...
a baking tray with phyllo shells on it.
...and place on a baking tray.
Scooping a hot brown mixture into phyllo shells on a baking tray.
Either using a spoon or a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop (I have used both - just personal preference on what you like) - scoop a small amount into all the shells.
mini hot brown bites in phyllo shells on a baking try before going into the oven.
Place in a preheeated 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes.
mini hot brown bites on a silver platter on a red background. glasses of bourbon, tomatoes, and plates of hot brown bites around it.
Place on a serving tray; these are best served right away, warm out of the oven. Top with some fresh parsley and enjoy!

*A note on phyllo shells - sometimes they are hard to find in the grocery store - at least for me personally. So instead of driving around town to a bunch of stores trying to find them, save the time like I did and order them off Amazon (affiliate link). Way easier and faster!

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mini hot brown bites on a silver tray and a red background

Mini Kentucky Hot Brown Bites in Crispy Phyllo Shells

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Description

These mini Kentucky hot brown bites are the ultimate mini appetizer, perfect to serve at your Derby party! Packed full of the classic hot brown flavors like tender turkey breast and creamy Mornay sauce. They're oven-baked for just 10 minutes until perfectly warm and golden. Whether you're hosting or heading to a Derby party, this easy recipe makes 30 delicious bites that are sure to disappear fast.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 boxes of mini phyllo dough shells (15 per box)
  • ½ pound bacon (about ½ cup bacon bits after cooking)
  • 2 Cups turkey breast - cooked and diced into small cubes (*see notes)
  • ½ Cup cherry tomatoes - diced into small cubes

Mornary Sauce

  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 1 ½ Cups whole milk 
  • ½ Cup parmesan - grated 
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • pinch of nutmeg, freshly cracked black pepper, and white pepper
  • fresh parsley for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

  2. In a skillet over medium heat, add in your bacon - using kitchen shears to cut into bits. Cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. You should have about ½ cup of cooked bacon bits. Set aside.

  3. While the bacon is cooking, in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add in the butter and flour. Once the butter melts, whisk with the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until smooth and lightly golden.

  4. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and whisking for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

  5. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the grated parmesan, salt, nutmeg, black pepper, and white pepper. Stir until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.

  6. Place the mini phyllo shells on a baking sheet.

  7. To a large bowl, add in your chopped turkey, bacon,  tomatoes, and Mornay sauce. Stir to combine.

  8. Add a small spoonful or about 1 tablespoon of the turkey filling to each of the phyllo shells.

  9. Place in the preheated oven for 7-10 minutes.

  10. Remove, place on a serving platter, and top with fresh chopped parsley. Serve warm. 

Notes

For the turkey - I like to buy a 24-ounce package of turkey tenderloin and cook it according to the package directions in a baking pan with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I will cube it once cooked and cooled and use it in this recipe. You can also purchase thickly sliced turkey breast from the deli and cube it to use for an easier and quicker option.

Make Ahead - if you are going to prep these ahead of time for your Derby party, then you can make the turkey mixture according to the directions, wrap plastic wrap around the bowl, and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours before serving. Right before serving, scoop out into the shells and bake. It's best to do this right before so the shells are crispy and they are served hot, otherise the phyllo cups become soggy.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Appetizers
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bite
  • Calories: 52
  • Sugar: 0.7 g
  • Sodium: 77.6 mg
  • Fat: 2.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 3 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 5.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 12.2 mg

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