Individual chicken and spring vegetable pies
8
Points®
Total time: 55 min • Prep: 25 min • Cook: 30 min • Serves: 6 • Difficulty: Easy
These delicious chicken pies use the best of what spring has to offer. Fresh baby carrots, zucchini and asparagus. We've topped them with a puff pastry lid.
Ingredients
Leek
1 whole, end trimmed, washed, finely sliced
Chicken thigh, skinless, raw
500 g, cut into 2cm cubes
Shortcut bacon
3 slice(s), (3 x 25g slices), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
Fresh thyme
1 tbs, chopped
Fresh bay leaf
1 whole
Carrot(s)
300 g, (1 bunch Dutch carrots), ends trimmed, halved
Asparagus
1 bunch(es), ends trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths
Mushrooms
100 g, (Swiss browns), quartered
Water spinach
120 g, baby leaves
Chicken stock cube
1 individual, dissolved in 250ml hot water
Skim milk
1 cup(s), (250ml)
Plain flour
2 tbs
Fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbs, chopped
Puff pastry
1½ sheet(s)
Frozen green peas
3 cup(s), lightly steamed
Oil spray
1 x 3 second spray(s)
Instructions
1
Preheat oven to 210°C. Spray 6 x 1¼ cup capacity oven-proof ramekins with oil and set aside.
2
Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add leek and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until soft. Increase heat to high and add chicken, bacon, thyme and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and cook until chicken is golden.
3
Add carrots, asparagus and mushrooms and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Pour in stock and milk and allow to come to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Add spinach leaves and cook for a further 30 seconds, allowing leaves to wilt.
4
In a separate bowl combine flour with 2 tbs water and mix to form a smooth paste. Stir into chicken mixture along with parsley. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes or until thick. Taste to season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove bay leaf.
5
Spoon chicken mixture into prepared ramekins. Cut pastry to make 6 equal squares. Place a pastry square on top of each ramekin and press down edges to seal. Trim excess pastry around each ramekin rim to fit ramekins. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and pastry is puffed and golden. Serve with steamed peas.
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