Chicken & Leek Pot Pies

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks, trimmed & thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups organic chicken stock (sodium reduced)
• 1 tsp Vegeta or alternative stock/seasoning powder
• ½ cup thickened cream
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 3½ cups roasted chicken, shredded
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced.
• To make the pie filling, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, add the leeks and cook for 10 mins until softened, then add the garlic and cook for another 2 mins until fragrant.
• Add the flour to the pan, stirring frequently, followed by the stock and Vegeta, stir well and bring to the boil.
• Simmer for 5 mins or so until the filling thickens slightly.
• Take off the heat and stir through the cream, thyme, chicken and peas and stir until well combined.
• Place the pie filling into 4 large ovenproof ramekins. Allow to cool completely. If the pie filling is too hot it will melt the pastry.
• Remove the pastry from the freezer to partially thaw. Using the ramekin’s diameter as a guide, cut 4 rounds of the puff pastry. They should be slightly wider than the ramekin to allow for shrinkage.
• Brush the top of the ramekins lightly with the beaten egg, then top with puff pastry rounds and gently press down.
• Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Make a small slit in the pastry to let the air escape.
• Bake in oven for 35–40 mins until golden.
• Serve immediately.