MINI CREAMY AND CHEESY CHICKEN PIES
Author: Dini from The Flavor Bender
Makes/ Serves: 20 - 25 mini pies
WHAT YOU NEED
Creamy Chicken and Cheese Filling
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ onion chopped
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 leek, chopped and rinsed well
- 8 oz of Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 4 oz sour cream
- ¼ cup half and half
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp chopped chives
For the Pies
- 3 lbs of puff pastry (you might end up with some leftover)
- 2 small eggs beaten lightly with 1 tbsp of water (egg wash)
METHOD
Creamy Chicken and Cheese Filling
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When it's hot, add the chopped onions and saute until they become translucent.
- Sprinkle in the flour and mix well till you have a smooth paste. Cook the flour for a couple of minutes.
- Add the Leeks, ½ tsp salt, chicken, sour cream and half n half. Mix well and cook until the chicken is cooked through (about 20 minutes on my stove).
- Taste and add salt and pepper to your taste, along with paprika, chives, and shredded cheese. Mix and simmer on low heat for a further 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
Making the pies
- Preheat oven to 375°F/200°C. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly dust your working surface with some flour. Roll out the puff pastry to about 2/8 of an inch thickness. If you are using puff pastry sheets, roll out the sheet as evenly as possible to about the same thickness.
- Using a 3 - 3.5 inch circle cutter, cut as many circles as you can (about 40-45).
- Brush the edge of one of the pastry circles with egg wash and place some cooled filling in the middle. Place the second pastry circle on top and press down along the edge with your fingers to seal. Next, crimp the edge using a fork.
- Optional - use the round cutter to cut cleanly and get neat edges.
- Place the pie on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the pastry circles. Leave about 1 inch of space between the pies on the baking sheet.
- Brush the top liberally with egg wash, and make two slits on the top to allow air to escape.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or till the top is golden brown and puffed up.
- Serve warm.
The creaminess of the chicken filling complements the sweetness of the wine perfectly. The wine and the pies definitely enhance the flavour profiles of each other. Seriously, the more we had them together, the better they tasted together. The fruity, floral notes of the Chardonnay came through even stronger.
