This African Chicken Pie is another easy snack food that is easy to make and versatile. You can use homemade pie crust as I did in this recipe, puff pastry, or store-bought pie dough. These can be eaten as a snack for breakfast, lunch, or dinner if you want something light. Chicken pies are a favorite snack to make and enjoy.
These homemade savory hand pies are easy to make and easy to grab-and-go snacks. These chicken pies can be made ahead of time, and they freeze well. Another similar hand pie recipe you should try is this Nigerian meat pie
Why You will like These Chicken Pies
Easy to make with any pie dough.
They are freezer-friendly meals for the family
You can vary the filling to your taste buds.
How to Make Chicken Pie Video Tutorial
Ingredients For Making Chicken Pie
The recipe card at the bottom of the page contains full ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
For the Pie Dough/Crust
Flour: all-purpose flour is used in the recipe. What you want for pie is flour that yields a tender, flaky crust, which means all-purpose flour or pastry flour is the ideal type to use.
Butter: I used unsalted butter in the recipe. If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the dough ingredients. All other fat like shortening or margarine will work; the choice will depend on your flavor preferences and dietary needs.
Salt: added to bring all the flavors together in the pie crust. Leave out the salt; the crust will taste bland and tasteless unless you make a salt-free pie or use salted butter.
Baking powder: give the pie crust or dough a lift.
Nutmeg: add a nutty flavor to the dough.
Ice water is essential in this recipe to help the butter hold its shape. Ice water keeps the bits of fat in the dough cold and intact. The process creates little pockets of fat that, as the pie bakes, gradually melt and form tiny caverns in the crust, making the crust flaky.
For the Chicken Filling
I used freshly chopped chicken breast, but you can also use freshly ground chicken.
Vegetables
Olive Oil
Seasoning
Corn flour
Egg wash- egg and a dash of milk
Step By Step Instructions on How to Make Chicken Pies
Step One: Making the Pie Dough/ Crust
In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder and mix.
Cut the cold butter into pieces and add them to the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender until well-mixed. You can also rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining.
Add the cold water to the mixture slowly and mix to form a dough. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in a plastic bag or cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.
STEP TWO: Making the Pie Filling
In a large pan, heat oil and add onion and cook for 2 minutes or until translucent. Then add diced carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes—season with salt, pepper, and chicken seasoning. Add chopped green pepper and corn flour mixed with water, stir and cook on low heat until it thickens. Then set aside to cool.
STEP THREE: Rolling and Molding the Chicken Pie
Roll the cold pie dough on a floured board into 1/8- ¼th inch thick. Using your cookie cutter or pie mold, cut into circles. Re-roll any scraps and repeat the process until all the dough is used.
Add one tablespoon of filling to each circle, brush the edges with egg wash and fold and crimp edges to seal with the tip of a fork or the thongs.
STEP FOUR: Baking the Meat Pie
Transfer the meat pie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place them 2 inches apart.
Poke the top of the pie with a fork to create a hole to help the steam escape when baking. Brush the top with egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top and under the pie.
Expert Tips
1. Roll the cold pie dough starting from the center out. When rolling, rotate the dough as you go along, so it does not stick to the board.
2. Allow the filling to cool completely before using.
3. If the pie dough feels soft, place it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm up before proceeding.
4. Do not overfill the pies to prevent leaking of filling.
5. Seal the edges well to prevent the edges from opening during baking. Make sure there is no filling on the edges, or it will break the seal, and the filling will leak through.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
The pie crust dough: dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
The chicken pie filling can also be made ahead of time. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Assembled and Unbaked Chicken Pies can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, there is no need to thaw before baking; add extra minutes of bake time.
Baked Meat Pies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the oven until heated through.
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African Chicken Hand Pies
Ingredients
- Pie Crust/ Pastry
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold butter
- ½ cup ice water / cold water
- Filling
- ½ pound chicken breast- ground or cut into pieces.
- 1 medium-size onion
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 small green / bell pepper
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chicken seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to your taste)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- Egg Wash
- 1 whole egg and dash of milk
Instructions
- Step One: Making the Pie Dough/ Crust
- In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder and mix.
- Cut the butter into pieces and add them to the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender until well mixed. You can also rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining.
- Add the cold water to the mixture slowly and mix to form a dough. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in a plastic bag or cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- STEP TWO: Making the Pie Filling
- In a large pan, heat oil on a medium heat and add onion and cook for 2 minute or until translucent. Add diced carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and chicken seasoning. Add chopped green pepper and corn flour mixed with water, stir and cook on low heat until it thickens. Then set aside to cool.
- STEP THREE: Rolling and Molding the Chicken Pie
- Roll the cold pie dough on a floured board into 1/8- ¼th inch thick. Use your round cookie cutter or pie mold to cut into circles. Re-roll any scraps and repeat the process until all the dough is used.
- Add one tablespoon of filling to each circle, brush the edges with egg wash and fold and crimp edges to seal with the tip of a fork or the thongs.
- STEP FOUR: Baking the Chicken Pie
- Transfer the meat pie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place them 2 inches apart.
- Poke the top of the pie with a fork to create a hole to help the steam escape when baking. Brush the top with egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top and under.
- Serve the hand pie warm or allow to cool down.
Notes
The pie crust dough: this dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
The Chicken Pie Filling: the filling can also be made ahead of time. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Assembled and Unbaked Meat Pies can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, there is no need to thaw before baking; add extra minutes of bake time.
Baked Meat Pies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the oven until heated through.
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