Ingredients
Serves 6½ cup plain flour
½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
½ tsp salt
750g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite size pieces
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3 leeks, white part only, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ cup chicken stock
½ cups evaporated skim milk
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 sheets ready-made puff pastry
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 quantity cream cheese pastry (see below)
Cream Cheese Pastry
250gr butter
250gr cream cheese
2 ½ cups plain flour
Method
Beat butter and cream cheese together until they are totally combined. Add flour until mixture comes together in a bowl. Allow to rest.
Combine flour, salts and paprika in a shallow bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Heat butter and oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Return pan to a medium heat, add leeks and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add stock and cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then return chicken to pan and cook for 1-2 minutes further. Remove from heat, season to taste and stir through the herbs.
Cut cream cheese pastry to fit the base of 6 holes of a Texas muffin pan. Spoon filling into pastry cases and brush edges with egg yolk. Roll out puff pastry and cut to fit tops. Fit on pies and crimp edges with a fork. Brush tops with egg yolk and pierce the top of each pie.
Cook in a preheated 180°C oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
You could also make double the mixture and make a large pie and small ones for the freezer.
Freezing:
Pies can be frozen in the tray. Wrap well with plastic wrap or place in a large freezer bag. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 180°C. Place pies in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden and puffed.
Extras:
Depending on what you like, you could also add extra vegetables to the pie. My favourite is mushrooms (which go really well with chicken), or fresh peas, tiny pea eggplants or celery.