Flaky Chicken Hand Pies Recipes

FLAKY CHICKEN HAND PIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Remove skin and meat from bones. Chop meat roughly into 1/2-inch chunks and set aside or refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days. (If desired, save skin, bones and pan drippings for stock.)
• Make filling: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and chopped mushrooms. Season mixture with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium.
• Cook, stirring, until onions have colored slightly and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat. Add broth and cook, stirring, as mixture thickens. Add chicken, turn heat to low and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in crème fraîche, turn off heat, and set aside to cool. Stir in scallions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured (or parchment-paper-covered) work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out into an approximate 15-inch square. Use the tip of a knife to cut into 9 equal squares. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture into the center of each piece, then divide any remaining mixture evenly on top, so each has the same amount.
• Pick up and fold one corner of pastry over the filling to make a triangular pie. Press and pinch both edges together tightly to seal. Divide on the prepared pans.
• Brush the tops with egg wash and bake until deep golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.

CHICKEN RAGù HAND PIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl and work the butter into the flour with your fingers until it resembles coarse sand. It's O.K. if some of the butter pieces aren't fully incorporated.
• Whisk together the ice water, vinegar and 1 egg, then slowly add to the flour a bit at a time, stirring gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.
• Flour your hands lightly, gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently a few times.
• Form the dough into a thick, flat square, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for an hour. (The dough can stay overnight in the refrigerator or be frozen at this point.)
• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 4 1/2-inch rounds (a small bowl works well for this if you don't have a cookie cutter). Collect dough scraps if needed to re-roll dough to obtain 10 rounds.
• Whisk the remaining egg. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add one heaping tablespoon of the chicken ragù to each pie, being careful to not scoop up too much liquid. Sprinkle with a little of the cheese, then brush the outer rim of each round with egg and fold over to seal tightly.
• Set the hand pies on the prepared baking sheet. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges, being careful not to puncture the dough that covers the filling. Brush the top of each hand pie with egg.
• Bake until the pastry tops are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.