Individual Chicken Pot Pies with Puff Pastry
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These individual chicken pot pies have a creamy filling with chicken, peas, corn and a little Dijon mustard. The puff pastry cases have roughly folded tops, so there’s no need to cut separate lids. They’re a simple homemade pie option when you have cooked chicken to use up and fancy something hot from the oven.
My favorite pub pie is probably steak and ale, although chicken makes a nice change, paired with corn or mushrooms. I like mashed potatoes or fries with mine, along with baked beans or a vegetable. Individual pies also appeal to me because everyone has their own pastry case instead of having to slice a larger pie.
Individual Chicken Pot Pies at a Glance
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cook time: About 35 minutes
- Total time: About 1 hour
- Yield: 6 small pies
- Main ingredients: Cooked chicken, puff pastry, cream, Dijon mustard, peas and corn
- Cooking method: Oven-baked in a standard muffin pan
- Storage: Refrigerate promptly and use within 3 days, sooner if using older leftover chicken
Why You’ll Love It
- Use up leftover chicken: Start with cooked chicken from another meal and skip cooking more meat.
- No sauce to cook: Mix the cream and mustard directly with the chicken and vegetables.
- Easy pastry shaping: Fold the pastry over the filling without cutting separate lids or crimping a decorative edge.
- Small portions: Serve the pies with your choice of sides and adjust the number per plate to suit everyone’s appetite. One is enough for me if I have a couple of sides but someone with a larger appetite could probably manage two.
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked chicken: Use skinless breast or thigh meat and chop it into small pieces. I like to weigh the cooked meat, since chicken breasts vary in size.
- Puff pastry: A thawed block lets you roll the pastry to the required dimensions. I recommend that you keep it cool while you work and follow the package’s thawing instructions.
- Heavy cream [aka double cream]: This moistens the filling without a separate gravy. You only need a little.
- Peas and corn: Thaw frozen vegetables and drain canned corn before adding them to the bowl.
- Dijon mustard: Mix it with the cream so it distributes evenly through the filling.
- Egg: Brush beaten egg over the pastry before baking for a golden finish.
How to Make Individual Chicken Pot Pies
Roll and cut the pastry, then use the squares to line 6 muffin cups. Mix the filling in a bowl and divide it between the cases. Fold the overhanging pastry over the chicken, brush the tops with egg and bake the pies until the pastry is golden and the filling is hot throughout.
Handy Equipment
- Standard muffin pan: Use 6 of the cups for these small pies. You need a standard muffin pan, not a mini muffin pan.
- Rolling pin: For rolling the pastry into an even rectangle before cutting it.
- Pastry brush: To brush the beaten egg over the exposed pastry.
Tips for the Best Results
- Chill softened pastry: If it gets sticky or difficult to handle, refrigerate it until firm enough to work with.
- Press gently: Ease the pastry into the pan without stretching it, which can cause it to shrink during baking.
- Check the bases: The pastry should be cooked through as well as golden on top. Give light-colored or soft bases more baking time.
- Rest before removing: A brief rest makes them easier to lift from the pan without damaging the pastry.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken thigh meat: Use the same cooked weight as the breast meat.
- Turkey: Use cooked, chopped turkey for a leftover turkey version.
- Mushrooms or leeks: Add a small amount of cooked, cooled mushrooms or leeks in place of some of the peas and corn. Cook off excess moisture first.
- Fresh herbs: Add a little chopped parsley or thyme to the filling if you like.
What to Serve with Chicken Pot Pies
Mashed potatoes, fries [chips] or baked beans are good sides for these small pies. Green beans, broccoli or cooked carrots work too.
How to Store
- Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F (32°C). Use within 3 days. If you started with leftover chicken, use the pies sooner according to how long the chicken has already been stored.
- Reheat: Warm the pies in the oven until the center reaches 165°F (74°C). Loosely cover the tops with foil if they brown too quickly. You can microwave them, although I find this makes the pastry softer.
- Freeze: Wrap cooled baked pies individually and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make ahead: You can mix the filling up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it in a covered container. Assemble the pies when you’re ready to bake, using chicken that’s still within its safe storage period.
Chicken Pot Pie FAQs
No. This recipe starts with cooked chicken. Cook raw chicken separately to 165°F (74°C), then chop it for the filling. Allow extra time for that step.
No. This method bakes the pastry and filling together. Check that the bases have cooked through before removing the pies from the pan.
No. Fold the overhanging edges together and press gently, leaving a small opening for steam. These pies have roughly folded tops, so you don’t need separate pastry lids.
Individual Chicken Pot Pies with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 17 ½ ounces (500g) puff pastry, thawed if frozen
- 10 ½ ounces (300g) skinless cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons peas, thawed and drained
- 3 tablespoons corn kernels, thawed or canned and drained
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream [double cream]
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 egg
- All-purpose flour [plain flour], for dusting
- Oil, for greasing the pan
Equipment
- Standard muffin pan
- Rolling Pin
- Mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Measuring spoons
- Kitchen scale
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Pastry brush
- Small bowl
- Fork
- Wire rack
- Instant-read thermometer
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 320°F (160°C) fan. Lightly grease 6 cups of a standard muffin pan.
- Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle approximately 9 ½ × 14 ¼ inches (24 × 36cm). Cut it into 6 equal squares, approximately 4 ¾ inches (12cm) across.
- Gently ease a square into each greased cup, leaving the excess pastry overhanging.
- Combine the chicken, peas, corn, cream and mustard in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
- Divide the filling between the pastry cases. Fold the overhanging pastry over the filling and gently press the edges together. Leave a small opening for steam.
- Beat the egg in a small bowl with a fork and brush it over the exposed pastry.
- Bake for approximately 35 minutes, until the pastry is golden and cooked through and the center of the filling reaches 165°F (74°C). Allow extra baking time if needed.
- Let the pies settle briefly in the pan on a wire rack before carefully removing them. Serve hot with your preferred sides.
Notes
- This makes 6 small pies which is enough to feed 3 to 6 people depending on appetite.
- The chicken weight refers to cooked meat.
- Keep the pastry cool while assembling the pies.
- Refrigerate promptly and use within 3 days, sooner if using older leftover chicken. Freeze cooled baked pies for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating to 165°F (74°C).
Small Chicken Pies for Dinner
A homemade chicken pie dinner is hard to beat, and these small puff pastry pies are a straightforward version with a short ingredient list. They’re individual chicken pot pies and make a cozy family dinner. Serve one or two per person with mashed potatoes and vegetables, and save any extras for lunch the next day.
Other Recipes to Try
My English chicken pie is a larger pie with vegetables and homemade pastry. My crispy chicken with creamy mushrooms and braised leeks is another chicken dinner with a generous sauce. These Finnish meat pies are another easy dinner idea.
