Mini Chicken and Leek Pies

You will be pleased to know I did manage a front row seat at the recent concert where the little guy sang Danny Boy.

Mini chicken and leek pies

Mini chicken and leek pies

How I managed it was miraculous.

Shortcrust pastry

Shortcrust pastry

I arrived 40-minutes early and there were a few other anxious mothers waiting outside the doors.  One of them, (the doctor who raced in the relay with me), said, ‘They won’t let you in; we’ve all tried.  We have to wait outside until they open the doors.’

That won’t do.

Top pastry with filling

Top pastry with filling

So I edged ever closer to the bolted doors and when I’d maneuvered myself right up to the door handle I peered in through the window and I could see a few volunteers helping to set up the hall.

Puff pastry lids

Puff pastry lids

I may not do a lot of volunteering but I can pass myself off as one.  While their backs were turned, I silently turned the door handle and opening the door a crack, I slid through to the other side.

Recipe makes 40

Recipe makes 40

Once in the hall I pretended to be surveying the scene doing things like making sure the rows of seats were straight and orderly and that the aisle was wide enough to allow for two people to be passing.  A few of the more astute volunteers started looking at me suspiciously and just when my cover was about to be blown, the choir conductor, (who loves Alfie and therefore loves me), gave me a welcoming smile.

Excellent for parties

Excellent for parties

Seizing on this stroke of good fortune, I said, ‘Oh hello, you’re looking lovely, what do you think the chances would be of me being able to sit up front and centre for Alfie’s solo?’

Serve hot

Serve hot

And she said, ‘Come this way’, and pointed to a few seats in the front row.  ‘If you sit here you’ll see him clearly’.  And then she pointed to the stage saying, ‘He’ll be standing about here so over there’s the best spot’.  It wasn’t just me who wanted to be up front and centre and so, behaving like a German tourist, I took off my jacket and threw it on one seat, then took out my car keys and put them on another seat, and then I put my scarf across two more seats for my parents, and then as the poor GP had looked so forlorn, I bagged her a seat as well.  I thanked the conductor very much and then slipped back outside to wait with everyone for the doors to be officially opened.

I was thrilled.

Topped with lemon thyme

Topped with lemon thyme

Then the concert started and we sat through Alfie playing his tenor saxophone in the Training Band and that was a little excruciating, and after another dozen or so items plus a few speeches, it was time for Alfie’s choir to take to the stage.  The little guy was a bag of nerves but he soldiered on regardless.  I was very proud of him and here’s a little snippet for those who are interested…

Now…about these pies…I’m not going to lie to you and say they can be whipped up in a matter of minutes; these pies do take some time but I can tell you now, they’re worth every minute of effort.  And some of the more painful aspects of dealing with pastry aren’t necessary with these pies.  There’s no need to rest the pastry and you don’t need to blind-bake it either so there’s a couple of wins.

Chicken and leek pies

Chicken and leek pies

The time consuming part is that you first have to make the filling (it’s easy though), and then you have to deal with both shortcrust and puff pastry and keeping the pastries at a workable temperature, (not too frozen/not too warm), is also a consideration.

Tiny pies

Tiny pies

But I can’t stress enough how worthwhile these pies are.  The recipe is from the very reliable Australian Women’s Weekly and I’ve adapted it very slightly.  The pies are suitable to freeze and are excellent pass-around food for parties.  As I sank my teeth into one of these pies I thought, ‘If only every pie I bought in a shop was as good as these’.

Made with poached chicken breasts

Made with poached chicken breasts

I made these for the all-consuming up-coming event where I’m certain they’ll be a huge hit.

5.0 from 7 reviews
Mini Chicken and Leek Pies
Author: 
Recipe type: Pies
Cuisine: Australian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 40
 
Mini Chicken and Leek Pies - perfect party food.
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup chicken stock
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 500g single chicken breast fillets
  • 20g butter
  • 1 medium (350g) leek, finely sliced
  • 1 stick (75g) celery, finely sliced
  • 1 tbs plain flour
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon thyme leaves
  • ½ cup (125ml) cream
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • seasoning
  • 4 sheets shortcrust pastry
  • 3 sheets butter puff pastry
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • extra lemon thyme leaves
Instructions
  1. Combine stock and wine in a medium saucepan; bring to the boil.
  2. Add the chicken, return to the boil.
  3. Remove from heat; stand chicken for 10 minutes or until it's cooked through. Reserve ¾ cup cooking liquid. Chop chicken finely.
  4. Melt butter in a pan; cook leek and celery, stirring until soft. Stir in flour and thyme and stir until bubbling. Gradually stir in reserved liquid and cream; cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the chicken and mustard. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
  5. Preheat oven to 220C fan-forced.
  6. Grease 2 x 24 mini pie tins.
  7. Using a 6.5cm cutter, cut 40 rounds from the shortcrust pastry. Press into prepared pans. Spoon 1 tbs of chicken mixture into each pastry case. Using a 6cm cutter, cut 40 rounds from the puff pastry. Top chicken mixture with the pastry lids, brush with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with extra thyme leaves.
  8. Bake on lowest shelf in oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Mini pies

Mini pies

Comments

  1. pamela.hayward7650@gmail.com says:

    You should be very proud of your son! Talking in public is hard enough. ….singing solo would take it to another level. Love those pies – chicken ones especially.

  2. Thanks for sharing the clip, even I got a goosebump or two listening to it lol. Another awesome recipe, I keep thinking when I read them I must make this or that, yet never do lol. Maybe I will challenge myself to start making 1 thing a month, taking it up to once a week…. pretty big maybe but at least I am thinking about it lol.

  3. Wiping a tear… one of my mum’s favourite songs xxx

  4. Good for you – I admire your resourcefulness!
    Oh, and I very much admire your pies.

  5. oooh, the battle of getting a good seat at the school concert! I am absolutely in the get-there-yonks-before-show-starts school of thought. Then throw cardi on one seat for The Hungry Nana and a water bottle on another seat for my school mum bestie – who turns up just in the nick of time, everytime – and we are good to go. These pies look uber cute. Mmm, leeks…

  6. I can certainly see my dear Mum in you! She would have pulled that trick without question. Alfie is absolutely lovely, thank you for sharing that video with us.
    Now to the pies! They are beautiful; two kinds of pasties sound wonderful. No doubt they are for a certain someone’s birthday party! They really do look mouth watering.

  7. Very sneaky…I’m impressed! And oh I love these little pies! All that fabulous pastry crust…mmm.

  8. These pies look so delicious. And I love that you can freeze them too. Good ol’ AWW!

  9. What a beautiful choir! I love that you scored front row seats. Well-done. These little pies look absolutely delicious!!! I’m going to have to put these on my to-make ASAP list as well.

  10. Wow, you do have a sneaky streak don’t you!? Well done! I’m terrible at this story of thing, we never get good seats and even when Laith had a solo we could barely see him, but the whole ordeal, I mean performance, was quite excruciating. But I guess as parents, we have to do our duty 🙂
    Charlie, the more I see all the work you’re putting in for this 21st, the more I’m counting my blessings that my daughter didn’t ask for one!!
    I think I’ll just let her friends surprise her, more fun for her and less work for me!!

    Oh, and I love these mini pies! I’ve had a hankering for some good pies, and if you can’t find good ones in Australia, you can imagine what I find here! I’m going to make some soon. xx

  11. I like your style with seat bagging! I’m sure it doesn’t hurt to be in your GPs good books too 🙂

    Alfie is a real star with his sporting and now musical efforts. And a reliable pie recipe is a wonderful thing to have so these must be good if you are giving them your approval.

  12. Faint heart never won fair maid … or great seat. Congratulations. GP means general practitioner or family doctor around here. Is that what it is in your area as well?

    Congratulations to Alfie, as well, as it takes a good voice and lots of training to stand out.

    Making 2 different pastries for these mini pies means the result must be worth it. 🙂

  13. Oh, yes these pies will be a hit at the upcoming event – Charlie. And great thinking there for getting the best seats – a bit sneaky:-)

  14. Alfie quite obviously takes after his father and brother as far as matters musical are concerned: lovely to see and hear! Good luck and speedy hands with the birthday menu preparations 🙂 !

  15. Great move, Charlie! And Alfie did a magnificent job!!! What a shining star he is!!!

  16. Haha Charlie you definitely won’t take no for an answer. Glad to hear that you looked after your doctor friend too!

  17. Alfie did an amazing job. Charlie, thanks for sharing the vid…it’s beautiful. The pies look delicious even if they do take a bit to prepare.

  18. You are super resourceful and Alfie has made you so proud.. you would have not missed it for the world. I have to admit that I have a very hard time working with pastry dough in humid Hong Kong, but might give it a go just to have some freezable snacks, love that idea… and they are so cute too!

  19. I can remember playing Danny Boy on my flute for my grandmother. He did so well! I really like the idea of these pies for snacks for my always hungry kids.

  20. I can remember playing Danny Boy on my flute for my grandmother. He did so well! I really like the idea of these pies for snacks for my always hungry kids.

  21. Alfie sounds outstanding. What a lovely and talented group of children.

  22. Hi Charlie, good for you wrestling up the front seats, Alfie is quite a good singer, you must be very proud of him. Lovely pies.

  23. Thanks for sharing the video, I enjoyed it so much I listened multiple times. I imagine you bursting with pride sitting in the front row.
    Love those mini pies, I could have at least 6.

  24. Haha that made me laugh you sneaking in like that and taking the whole front row. It looks like it was worth it though 🙂 You are making all my favourites for this party – sausage rolls and mini pies. I wonder what’s next?

  25. So clever posing as a volunteer! I bet Alfie was very pleased to look out and see his mom in the front row. Your chicken and leek pies are gorgeous! I bet they will be a very big hit at Arabella’s celebration. 🙂

  26. I love your chutzpah and the pies look really cute – I know what you mean about wishing the ones you bought were as good – that party will be spectacular with all the food you are preparing

  27. I loved the video! He’s daddy’s boy, that’s for sure. Measure him up for an Elvis costume just so it’s ready if he needs it; 🙂

    I can’t wait to try these little pies. Any time someone says something is better than the shops, I want to try making it too.

  28. Oh, those sweet young voices. Good for Alfie! And those little pies just spell “comfort.”

  29. Two great recipes in a row! I can see these may be a little work but I”m sure they’re delicious. I am always interested in recipes that can be made in bulk for entertaining. I get tired of the same old things I’ve made for years. And the video was such a delight! Thank you for sharing it. Alfie has an amazing voice. I teared up! I can imagine how proud you must be, Charlie. ox

  30. His voice is great. Wish he did more solo.
    caro

  31. So hungry now 🙁 Looks so good!

    Thanks for sharing

    Julie

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