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    Home » Recipes » Pie recipes

    Curried chicken pies

    Published: Jul 1, 2023 · Modified: Aug 12, 2024 by VJ · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    These curried chicken pies are a family favourite that I've been making for as long as I can remember, and they never fail in the flavour department! They are made from crispy and flaky homemade pastry, wrapped around tender pieces of tasty curry-flavoured chicken and vegetables before they are baked in the oven until golden!

    5 curried chicken pies on a round wooden board.
    Jump to:
    • Easy curried chicken pies
    • What you will need
    • What to do
    • Curried chicken pies FAQ
    • Save for later
    • Related recipes
    • 📋The recipe

    Easy curried chicken pies

    I've got to say that these chicken pies are one of my favourite things to bake. Not only do they have an amazing flavour, but they are so easy to make too.

    The filling is made with chicken breasts which are cut into small chunks - the smaller the better actually, so that the filling fits easily into the pies. The pieces of chicken are combined with a mixture of carrots and onions which have been sauteed with curry spices before being baked in a delicious homemade pastry crust.

    These pies can be eaten either hot or cold which makes them perfect for an al fresco summer lunch in the garden or for packing into a picnic basket or lunchbox. They also make a delicious easy supper when served alongside steamed vegetables or a fresh green salad.

    The pastry is soft and buttery, with a flaky texture that goes so well with the chicken. If you don't want to make your own pastry, you can use store-bought shortcrust or even puff pastry, but I thoroughly recommend you try my pastry recipe. It only takes a few minutes to mix and it is totally worth the few minutes of effort.

    You will need half an hour for the pastry to rest once you have mixed it. The filling will also need half an hour to cool down before you can use it in the pies (otherwise it will melt the pastry). So do remember to factor this extra time into your schedule if you decide to make these pies. The filling itself only takes half an hour to fry up, so you can make the filling while the pastry is resting.

    I normally make a double-batch and freeze them so I've always got a quick and easy meal in the freezer!

    If you're looking for other chicken pies to fill your freezer, you might like to try these individual chicken and mushroom pot pies.

    A curried chicken pie which has been cut in half to show the inside, arranged on a brown plate.

    Here's how to make these curried chicken pies:

    What you will need

    A large mixing bowl for making the pastry. I like to use an old-fashioned earthenware bowl because you can get your hands in easily, and it is large enough to mix a double batch of pastry.

    You will also need a rolling pin for rolling out the pastry. Of course, if you've bought the pastry from the supermarket you won't need the rolling pin! I absolutely love my marble rolling pin - I must have had it for over 30 years now and it's still as good as the day I bought it!

    To cut out the pastry for the pies I used a 5-inch diameter dish and just cut around it with the back of a knife.

    You will need one or two baking trays and some baking parchment for baking the pies. Baking parchment stops the pies from sticking to the baking tray, and also acts to catch any gravy that may spill out of the pies during baking. If you don't have baking parchment you can simply brush the baking tray lightly with oil.

    For the filling, you will need a large frying pan, preferably with a lid so the vegetables can steam until they are softened.

    Ingredients

    This recipe makes 10 chicken pies. In the unlikely event that you have any filling left over, you can turn it into yummy toasted sandwiches or even spoon it over rice.

    **You can find the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making these curried chicken pies on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**

    Pastry

    You could buy 2 rolls of shortcrust or puff pastry and use that to make the chicken pies, but I would really recommend you make your own pastry. It doesn't take long, but it tastes amazing!

    Ingredients for making shortcrust pastry.

    Flour - plain all-purpose flour. Don't use self-raising flour, and you won't need to add any baking powder either.

    Butter - cut into cubes to make it easy to rub into the pastry.

    Salt - I like to add half a teaspoon of salt, but you can leave it out if you prefer.

    Egg yolks - the egg yolks add richness to the dough. In addition to the egg yolks you will need a small beaten egg to brush onto the pies before baking them.

    Water - I normally use 4 tablespoons of water with this pastry, but the actual amount of water depends on the strength and absorbency of the flour you use. Start with 3 tablespoons and gradually add extra until the dough comes together.

    Curried chicken filling

    Ingredients for making curried chicken filling for the pies.

    Chicken breasts - these should be cut into small pieces (approximately half-inch in size). They need to be cut small as this will make it easier to stuff the chicken filling into the pastry. If you prefer boneless chicken thighs you can use these instead. You could cut the chicken in a food processor, but be careful not to mince it too finely.

    Onions and carrots - finely diced - about the size of a pea.

    Frozen peas - the sweetness goes well with the curry flavouring.

    Chicken stock - substitute with vegetable stock if you prefer. Don't use beef stock - the flavour will be too strong.

    Salt - as always, to your own taste.

    Flour - for thickening the sauce.

    Oil - this is neutral-flavoured sunflower (or vegetable) oil, used both for browning the chicken and softening the onions and carrots.

    Chilli paste - this adds heat to the curry. Use as much or as little as your taste dictates.

    Spices - I used the following spices:

    • Garam masala
    • Ground cumin
    • Turmeric
    • Ground coriander

    If you don't have these spices you can substitute them with your favourite brand of curry powder or curry paste. If you do this I would recommend that you omit the chilli paste as the curry powder will already contain cayenne pepper or ground chillies.

    What to do

    Pastry

    If you have bought your pastry you can skip these next steps.

    Flour and cubed butter in a mixing bowl.

    Place the flour, salt and cubed butter into a large mixing bowl.

    Flour and butter rubbed together to form 'breadcrumbs' in a mixing bowl.

    Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

    Egg and water mixed into the flour to bind the mixture into a dough.

    Add the egg yolks and most of the water. Mix with a spatula or a flat-bladed knife until the mixture comes together in a shaggy ball. Only add the remaining water if the mixture seems too dry.

    A ball of dough on a table.

    Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it together into a soft disc. Do not knead or handle the dough too much.

    Transfer the dough into a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic film and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to rest.

    Curried chicken filling

    Pieces of partly fried chicken in a frying pan

    Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the pieces of chicken on moderately high heat until the chicken changes colour from pink to white. Don't worry if the chicken is not completely cooked through - it will continue to cook in the oven inside the pie. Set the chicken aside.

    Finely diced onions and carrots in a frying pan.

    Fry the diced onions and carrots in another tablespoon of oil until they are softened.

    Tip - turn the heat down to low, cover the pan with a lid and leave the vegetables to steam for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally so they don't burn.

    Spices and chicken pieces mixed with onions and carrots in a frying pan.

    Stir the salt and the spices into the carrots and onions. Add the chicken and stir well to coat the chicken with the spice mixture. Add the flour and mix well to remove any lumps.

    A spatula being drawn through a pan of curried chicken showing the consistency of the sauce.

    Pour in the stock and stir over moderate heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the stock has thickened. A spatula drawn through the mixture should leave a distinct trail.

    Frozen peas mixed into the curry mixture.

    Mix in the peas.

    Cover the chicken curry with a lid and set it aside for half an hour to allow it to cool.

    Assemble the chicken curry pies

    A piece of rolled-out pastry being cut into circles with the aid of a blue bowl.

    Roll out the dough into one-eighth of an inch thickness and cut out 5-inch diameter circles. I used an upturned cereal bowl and the back of a knife to cut the circles.

    A circle of dough with a spoonful of curried chicken arranged on one half of the circle.

    Arrange a large spoonful of cooled chicken curry on half of the circular dough. Use a pastry brush to dampen the edges of the pastry with water. This will ensure the pastry sticks together.

    A half-moon shaped unbaked chicken curry pie.

    Stretch the dough over the filling to form a half-circle and crimp the dampened edges of the pastry with a fork to seal. Prick a few holes on top of the pie to allow the steam to escape.

    6 unbaked chicken curry pies on a baking tray.

    Arrange the pies on a baking sheet that has been lined with baking parchment and brush them with beaten egg.

    6 baked chicken curry pies on a baking tray.

    Bake the pies in a preheated oven (200C / 400F) for 20 - 23 minutes or until golden brown and the pastry is cooked underneath.

    If you'd like to be notified of new recipes, why not subscribe to my newsletter? To say thank you, you will receive a free recipe e-book containing some of my most popular cakes and desserts.

    5 curried chicken pies on a pile on a brown plate.

    Curried chicken pies FAQ

    What is the best way to roll out the pastry?

    I would suggest you roll out the pastry as follows:
    1. Roll out half of the pastry to about one-eighth of an inch in thickness and using a 5-inch diameter bowl as a guide, cut out 3 circles. Put the pastry trimmings to one side.
    2. Repeat with the second half of the pastry - so you have 6 circles.
    3. Now combine the trimmings and press them gently into a ball. Roll out as above and cut out another 3 circles - 9 circles in total.
    4. Roll out any remaining pastry into a roughly circular shape and use any remaining chicken to fill it. This last pie will be quite mis-shapen and may be larger than the other 9 pies.

    Why does my filling fall out of the pastry when I try to seal it?

    It could be that you are either trying to add too much filling to the pie or your chicken pieces were too large. The raw chicken should have been cut to a maximum of half an inch and will shrink even further when it is fried.
    When adding the filling you should leave at least half an inch of uncovered pastry and only put the filling on half of the circle. The remaining half of the pastry should be gently stretched to cover the filling. Use a fork to seal the pastry, starting in the centre of the half-moon and working around towards each edge. If any pieces of chicken fall out, gently poke them back with your fingers.
    Take your time, if this is the first time you have attempted to make a pie you may find this step a little difficult, but it does become easier with practice.

    Can I freeze these curried chicken pies?

    Yes, they freeze beautifully. Allow them to cool and then wrap them in a layer of tinfoil and either wrap them in plastic wrap or place the tinfoil packet into a plastic bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months. Allow them to defrost and eat them cold (yummy) or heat them on a tray in a hot oven for a few minutes until they are heated through. I would avoid reheating them in the microwave as the pastry would lose its crispness.

    How long can I store these pies?

    These chicken pies can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

    How should I substitute curry powder for the spices?

    The answer to this one is 'it depends'!
    First, I would omit the chilli paste from the recipe altogether.
    Then, I would use 2 tablespoons of curry powder. If you like a very spicy curry I would use a 'hot' curry powder; for a milder taste I would use 'medium' strength or even 'mild'. It all depends on your taste.
    All curry powders are made with the same mix of spices. The difference between hot, medium and mild is in the amount of chilli/cayenne pepper that is added to the mix.

    Closeup of a curried chicken pie on a plate.

    Save for later

    If you would like to make these curried chicken pies why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.

    Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

    Related recipes

    If you enjoyed this curried chicken pie recipe you may also like to take a look at these other recipes for savoury hand pies:

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      Chicken and mushroom bakes with puff pastry
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      Puff pastry steak bakes
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    📋The recipe

    5 curried chicken pies on a round wooden board.

    Curried chicken pies

    These curried chicken pies are a family favourite that I've been making for as long as I can remember, and they never fail in the flavour department! They are made from crispy and flaky homemade pastry, wrapped around tender pieces of tasty curry-flavoured chicken and vegetables before they are baked in the oven until golden!
    Recipe by: Veronica
    Main Course, Pies
    British
    Calories 334
    Prep 40 minutes minutes
    Resting and cooling 30 minutes minutes
    Cook 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10 hand pies
    Print Pin Comment Bookmark Saved!
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    5 from 2 votes

    (Click the stars to rate this recipe)

    Equipment

    • Earthenware bowl
    • Rolling Pin
    • Baking tray
    • Baking parchment
    • Frying Pan

    Ingredients

    Pastry

    • 2 cups / 280 grams plain flour
    • 4½ ounces / 125 grams butter cubed
    • ½ teaspoon salt optional
    • 2 large egg yolks
    • 4 tablespoons water

    Curried chicken filling

    • 1¼ pounds / 600g grams skinless chicken breast fillets cut into ½-inch pieces
    • 1 large onion finely diced
    • 1 large carrot finely diced
    • ½ cup frozen peas
    • 1 cup chicken stock or use a stock cube dissolved in boiling water
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 - 2 tablespoons sunflower (or vegetable) oil
    • ½ teaspoon chilli paste or to taste
    • 1 tablespoon plain flour for thickening
    • 1 small egg for egg washing the pies

    Spices

    • 2 teaspoons garam masala
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

    Instructions

    Pastry

    • Place flour, salt, and cubed butter into a large mixing bowl
      2 cups / 280 grams plain flour, 4½ ounces / 125 grams butter, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
    • Add the egg yolks and most of the water. Mix with a spatula or a flat-bladed knife until the mixture comes together in a shaggy ball. Only add the remaining water if the mixture seems too dry.
      2 large egg yolks, 4 tablespoons water
    • Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it together into a soft disc. Do not knead or handle the dough too much.
    • Transfer the dough into a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic film and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to rest.

    Chicken filling

    • Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the pieces of chicken on moderately high heat until the chicken changes colour from pink to white. Don't worry if the chicken is not completely cooked through - it will continue to cook in the oven inside the pie. Set the chicken aside.
      1¼ pounds / 600g grams skinless chicken breast fillets, 1 - 2 tablespoons sunflower (or vegetable) oil
    • Fry the diced onions and carrots in another tablespoon of oil until they are softened. Tip - turn the heat down to low, cover the pan with a lid and leave the vegetables to steam for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally so they don't burn.
      1 large onion, 1 large carrot
    • Stir the salt and the spices into the carrots and onions. Add the chicken and stir well to coat the chicken with the spice mixture.
      ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon chilli paste, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • Add the flour and mix well to remove any lumps.
      1 tablespoon plain flour
    • Pour in the stock and stir over moderate heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the stock has thickened. A spatula drawn through the mixture should leave a distinct trail.
      1 cup chicken stock
    • Mix in the peas.
      ½ cup frozen peas
    • Cover the chicken curry with a lid and set it aside for half an hour to allow it to cool.

    Assemble and bake

    • Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F
    • Roll out the dough into one-eighth of an inch thickness and cut out 5-inch diameter circles. I used an upturned cereal bowl and the back of a knife to cut the circles.
    • Arrange a large spoonful of cooled chicken curry on half of the circular dough. Use a pastry brush to dampen the edges of the pastry with water. This will ensure the pastry sticks together.
    • Stretch the dough over the filling to form a half-circle and crimp the dampened edges of the pastry with a fork to seal. Prick a few holes on top of the pie to allow the steam to escape.
    • Arrange the pies on a baking sheet that has been lined with baking parchment and brush them with beaten egg.
      1 small egg
    • Bake the pies in a preheated oven for 20 - 23 minutes or until golden brown and the pastry is cooked underneath.

    Notes

    I would suggest you roll out the pastry as follows:
    1. Roll out half of the pastry to about one-eighth of an inch in thickness and using a 5-inch diameter bowl as a guide, cut out 3 circles. Put the pastry trimmings to one side.
    2. Repeat with the second half of the pastry - so you have 6 circles.
    3. Now combine the trimmings and press them gently into a ball. Roll out as above and cut out another 3 circles - 9 circles in total.
    4. Roll out any remaining pastry into a roughly circular shape and use any remaining chicken to fill it. This last pie will be quite misshapen and may be larger than the other 9 pies.
    To freeze - Allow the pies to cool and then wrap them in a layer of tinfoil and either wrap them in plastic wrap or place the tinfoil packet into a plastic bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months. Allow them to defrost and either eat them cold (yummy) or place them on a tray in a hot oven for a few minutes until they are heated through. I would steer clear of reheating them in the microwave as the pastry would lose its crispness.
    Substitute - you can substitute the spices with 2 tablespoons of either hot, medium or mild curry powder depending on your taste.  However, if you do this, I would recommend you omit the chilli paste.
    Nutrition - this has been calculated per pie, assuming you make 10 pies.

    Nutrition

    Serving - 1pie | Calories - 334kcal | Carbohydrates - 25.6g | Protein - 22.9g | Fat - 15.1g | Saturated Fat - 7.5g | Cholesterol - 122mg | Sodium - 447mg | Potassium - 228mg | Fiber - 1.7g | Sugar - 1.7g | Vitamin D - 12µg | Calcium - 32mg | Iron - 2mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

    Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
    All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
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    About VJ

    Before I started my food blog I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, mostly made from scratch, using everyday pantry ingredients.

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