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4.8 from 18 votes

Chicken and Ham Pie

This is traditional English cooking at its best: chicken and ham pie with peas, a luscious white sauce, and puff pastry.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 379 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Chicken:
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts 450 g, Note 1
  • 5 peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 allspice corns
  • 1 cube chicken stock
  • 1 ¼ cup frozen peas 200 g
  • 7 oz cooked ham 200 g
White sauce:
  • 2½ tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 40 g
  • 1 cup cooking water from the chicken 250 ml
  • 1 cup Cup milk 250 ml
  • a few gratings of nutmeg
  • fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chicken and ham pie:
  • 1 disc puff pastry large enough to cover the pie, about 12 inches/ 30 cm diameter, Note 2
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Chicken:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Cook chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a pot, and cover with water. Add peppercorns, bay leaves, and allspice. Bring to a boil, add a little sea salt and the stock cube, turn the heat down, simmer for about 10 minutes or until the chicken breasts are cooked through. 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts/ 450 g + 5 peppercorns + 2 bay leaves + 4 allspice corns + 1 cube chicken stock + water
  2. Add the frozen peas during the last 3 minutes of the cooking time. 1 ¼ cup frozen peas/ 200 g
  3. Chop chicken: Lift the chicken from the water, and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Chop into 0.7 inch/ 2 cm cubes. Chop the ham into small cubes as well. Drain the peas reserving the cooking water. Discard the spices.7 oz cooked ham/ 200 g
White sauce:
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 360°F.
  2. White sauce: Chop the onion finely. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Cook the onion until golden. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir gently until the flour gets lightly golden as well. 1 small onion + 2½ tablespoons butter + ⅓ cup all-purpose flour/ 40 g
  3. Add liquids: Gradually add the reserved cooking water and the milk while whisking continuously. Turn the heat down and stir until the desired thickness is achieved, about 8 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.1 cup cooking water from the chicken/ 250 ml + 1 cup cup milk/ 250 ml + a few gratings of nutmeg + fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  4. Combine: Take off the heat and stir in the chicken, ham, and peas. Adjust the taste again, adding more salt, pepper, and nutmeg if necessary. Pour the mixture into the pie dish.
Bake the pie:
  1. Cover with pastry: Unroll the puff pastry disc and cover the pie with it. Seal the pie by pressing the pastry disc firmly on the sides of the dish. I used a fork and pressed and crimped all around the pie dish. Trim off the excess pastry. You could use this excess to cut out leaves or flowers to decorate the pie with. It is not a necessary step.1 disc puff pastry
  2. Egg wash: In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and the milk. Brush the pastry with this mixture. Place the leaves or flowers on top of the pie and brush them with egg as well.1 egg yolk + 2 tablespoons milk
  3. Bake: Make a small slit in the form of an X in the middle of the pie and some simple slits two or three times around the edges of the pastry. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

  • If using leftover chicken,
  • skip the chicken cooking part. Remove the skin and the bones from the cooked chicken, and chop the meat. Defrost the peas. Mix chicken and peas with the white sauce.
  • If using leftover chicken, skip the chicken cooking part. Remove the skin and the bones from the cooked chicken, and chop the meat. Defrost the peas. Mix chicken and peas with the white sauce.
  • Pastry: Frozen puff pastry can be used instead. Defrost and roll according to the packet's instructions.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/6 of the dish Calories 379kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 24g (8%) Protein 40g (80%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g Cholesterol 139mg (46%) Sodium 697mg (29%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 7g (14%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4-6 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 379

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/6 of the dish
Calories 379kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 24g 8%
Protein 40g 80%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g 41%
Cholesterol 139mg 46%
Sodium 697mg 29%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 7g 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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