Chicken Pies

Although a bit time-consuming, these pies are worth it. I love to makes these in bulk and freeze them, so if I'm having a lazy day, I pull two out for dinner. Just like Chicken Triangles, these are perfect any time of the year.

Ingredients

Chicken Filling
4 chicken thighs, cubed
3 rashes of shortcut bacon, finely diced
1 leek, chopped finely
½ capsicum, finely diced
½ cup frozen peas
3 carrots, finely diced
100g mushrooms, finely diced
Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
150ml cooking cream
½ cup dry white wine
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cornflour

Shortcrust Pastry
265g (1 ¾ cups) plain flour
125g chilled butter, chopped
1 egg yolk, lightly whisked
Iced water

Pastry
4 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
Poppy seeds

Method for Chicken Filling

Add oil to a saucepan and once hot, brown diced chicken. Remove excess fat from pan. Add bacon and cook for 2-3 mins.
Add leek, capsicum, mushrooms and carrots. Cook for 5 mins, until onions have softened. Add wine and reduce it by ¼.
Add stock powder and cream. Turn down heat and simmer. Add cornflour. If mixture is still a bit watery, add some more cornflour. Cook for 10-15 mins. Cool.
Once cooled, prepare the shortcrust pastry. Line pie tins with pastry. Refridgerate for 15 mins.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Cut each puff pastry sheet diagonally. Add chicken mixture to fill ¾ of each pie tins. Place puff pastry on top of each pie tin and cut away excess. Seal by pressing the edge of the pastry with the back of a fork.
Brush with egg, and cut a two small holes in the centre. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Place pie tins in oven. Cook for 20-25 mins, or until browned. Serve with salad.

Method for Shortcrust Pastry

Place the flour and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the egg yolk and water and process until the dough just starts to come together.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth.
Roll out pastry.