Magic Chicken Pies

These pies are “magic” because they make a little bit of chicken go such a long way.

Ingredients

• 1 single chicken breast, cooked, or equivalent quantity of left over’s shredded
• 25g butter
• 1 leek, sliced (or use chopped onion if leek is not available)
• A handful of mushrooms (about 5), sliced
• 2 tbsp flour
• 250 ml milk
• 300g cooked potato, cut into small cubes
• 1 tsp thyme
• Around 400g pastry, homemade or frozen, puff, flaky or short-crust 
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 beaten egg

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Heat butter or oil in a frying pan and add the leeks and mushrooms, cook gently until soft. Stir in the flour and gradually add the milk until a thick sauce is formed.

Add the cooked potato, thyme and the shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool.

Cut pastry into discs large enough to line the muffin pan (see tips) and gently press the pastry into the greased pan, re-rolling excess pastry until all the cups in the muffin pan are lined, save trimmings.

Spoon in the chicken filling. Using the pastry trimmings cut strips of pastry-4 for each pie and lattice the pastry strips on the top of each pie dabbing a little cold water onto the ends of the pastry strips and pressing them down firmly so they don't pop up as the pastry cooks. Brush lightly with beaten egg and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Tip

An empty 800g tomato can or 400g tuna can cuts just the right size circles to line muffin pans. You could top with mashed potato if preferred.