Mini Chicken Pies

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: "Empadas de Galinha"

1 recipe “Basic Pie Dough”
½ chicken cut in pieces
2 onions (1+1)
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
2 carrots
½ cup peas
¼ cup white wine
2 tbsp butter
1 ½ tbsp. flour
½ cup milk + enough to brush pies
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Prepare the “Basic Pie Dough” as indicated (click on link or search blog files), and let it rest in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
Place the chicken, 1 onion cut in quarters, garlic, bay leaf, wine, carrots and peas in a pot and cover with water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place on high heat and when it starts to boil lower the heat and let it cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken and vegetables are cooked through. Remove chicken to one side and carrots and peas to another and let cool. Measure ½ cup of the stock to use in the béchamel. Save remaining stock in the refrigerator to use as a base for soup.



When chicken is cold enough to handle, remove from bones and cut meat in small pieces. Discard bones and skin. Dice carrots. Prepare the béchamel: Place butter and olive oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced onion and parsley and stir fry until onion becomes transparent. Stir in flour. It will thicken quickly so keep stirring. Add milk and ½ cup of stock where chicken was cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring constantly until thick and creamy.


Add chicken, carrots and peas and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 210ºC.



Roll out dough and cut in circles so they fit the muffin tins. Cut smaller ones for lids. Line muffin tins with larger circles.



Place spoonfuls of chicken filling in lined tins, top with lids and seal tightly so filling doesn’t escape during baking. The edges can be decorated in many ways. Here are some suggestions:

flatten with a fork to create dents

with a spoon create waves

with index finger and thumb from one hand and index finger of the other pinch edges to create a crimped edge

or just leave it simple

Brush tops with milk and with the tip of a knife or using a fork make a few holes in the lid so the steam can escape during baking. Place in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden. 



Great! If you’ve made it up to here then you deserve to rest. Relax in your favourite chair with a couple mini-pies and a glass of “Lemonade” or better yet, because  you really deserve it, a glass of "Sangria with Sparkling Wine and Berries"! Enjoy!


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