Chicken, bacon and leek pies

We love pies and chicken pies are totally awesome. I bought some individual pie tins, classic oval shape and the size you buy at the petrol station or local dairy and I have really enjoyed making, eating and filling my freezer with pies. Chicken is probably my fave - lummox number 3 informs me that pulled pork with black beans is his fave - but that is another story...

Ingredients - to make 8 pies

1x pack savoury short crust pastry

1x pack flaky puff pastry

The blocks give the best result - but if you get pre-rolled sheets you will need 4 of each. 

6-8 skinless chicken thighs

1 leek chopped into 1cm chunks

4 rashers streaky bacon

1/2 cup 1cm diced mushrooms (button or portobello)

50g butter

1/4 cup plain flour

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken stock (use juices from cooking the chicken and top up if needed)

Dried or fresh herbs if your choice - I used an Italian dried mix and a large handful of chopped fresh parsley. 

1 egg lightly beaten to glaze. 

Method

For the filling

Place chicken thighs in a baking dish, season with salt and pepper, cover with tin foil and bake in a 180c oven until juices run clear 20-30 mins. Leave chicken to cool then chop into chunks. 

Place bacon, leeks and mushrooms in a wide based pan with the butter and cook over a medium heat until the leek is soft. 

Add the flour, stir to combine with butter and juices from the veggies and cook for about a minute - remove from the heat. 

Add the chicken stock - stir with the pan off the heat until well combined, add the milk and do the same. 

Place the pan back on the heat and stir over a high heat until the sauce boils. 

Add the chicken - stir to combine and leave to cool. 

For the pastry cases

Grease the pie tins with butter. 

Cut the short crust pastry block into 8 pieces. Roll to fit the tins. Line the tins and trim the excess pastry. 

Line with tin foil and add a handful of rice for blind baking. 

Bake at 180c for 10-12 minutes. 

Cut the flaky puff pastry into 8 pieces and roll to cover the top of the pies while the bases are baking. 

Take tin foil out of the pastry base. 

Spoon the pie filling evenly into the cases. 

Brush the cooked edges of the pastry with beaten egg and press the pastry tops on. Cut off excess pastry. 

Brush the top with egg. Use pastry trimmings to make a rose and leaf for each pie. 

Bake at 180c for 10 minutes or until golden. 

Enjoy!