The Brightside - Chicken & Pesto Mini Pies - Nutrition by Jane

Jane Houston, currently completing a Bachelor of Nutritional Medicine (Bhsc), is passionate about inspiring parents to nourish their families with wholesome, nutrient-dense foods. In our latest Brightside, she shares one of her favourite recipes: Chicken & Pesto Mini Pies. Filled with tender chicken and creamy pesto in flaky pastry, these tasty, portable, and freezer-friendly pies are perfect for busy mornings or meal prepping. 

Chicken & Pesto Mini Pies

Makes: 12

Ingredients:

- 1 small brown onion  

- 2 garlic cloves 

- 1/2 cup pesto  

- 1 cup pure cream  

- 1.5 tbsp tapioca flour 

- 1.5 tbsp water to make a slurry  

- Salt and pepper to taste  

- 1 tbsp cooking oil/fat to fry  

- 1 egg for the egg wash  

- 750g butter puff pastry 

Method:

 2. Preheat a frying pan over medium to high heat, and once hot, add in the cooking oil/fat.  

 3. Add in the onion and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for roughly five minutes until the onions have softened.  

 4. Add in the chicken mince and cook for two minutes.  

 5. Spoon in the pesto and mix, cooking for another minute - then pour in the cream.  

 6. Add the tapioca flour to the water in a small bowl and whisk with a fork, ensuring there are no clumps of flour. Pour this into the filling and allow to simmer for another two minutes until thickened.  

 7. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste.  

 8. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.  

 9. Take out a muffin tray and begin cutting the pastry into the shapes for the base of your pies. You can use the top of a large cup if you do not have any other pastry cutters. Place the pastry into the muffin tray gently and press into the sides, allowing the pastry to hang over the edges slightly.  

 10. Fill the pies with the pie filling.  

 11. Cut the circles of pastry for the top of the pie and place them over the pie, sealing them together gently at the top with your fingers. Cut the star shapes to the top if you wish and place them on top of the pies.  

 12. Crack an egg into a bowl and whisk, taking a pastry brush to coat the pastry with the egg wash.  

 13. Place into the oven to bake for 10 minutes at 220 degrees, then turn the oven down to 200 degrees for a further 15 minutes until golden on top.

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