Flaky Creamy Chicken Hand Pies
Craving a comfort-food classic with a handheld twist? These flaky, creamy chicken hand pies feature a buttery flaky puff pastry crust and rich chicken filling, making them an easy dinner recipe and crowd-pleasing comfort food idea all in one.
Ingredients:
- frozen puff pastry sheets
- chicken breasts
- olive oil
- salted butter
- carrots
- yellow onion
- celery
- garlic
- salt, black pepper, and paprika
- flour
- Italian herb seasoning
- chicken stock
- heavy cream
- egg
- sesame seeds
Should puff pastry be thawed before using?
Yes. Thaw it in the refrigerator until pliable but still cold; if it’s too warm, it becomes sticky and won’t puff properly.
Why didn’t my puff pastry rise?
The pastry was likely too warm, rolled too thin, or baked at too low a temperature. Puff pastry needs high heat (usually 400–425°F / 200–220°C) to create steam and layers.
Should I poke holes in puff pastry?
Only for recipes where you don’t want full puffing, like tart bases. For hand pies, avoid docking so the pastry stays light and flaky.
Why is the bottom of my puff pastry soggy?
This can happen if the filling is too wet or not cooled. Use thick fillings, chill assembled pastries before baking, and bake on a hot, preheated sheet pan.
Cook with me!
Flaky Creamy Chicken Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 2 sheets Frozen Puff Pastry thawed
- 1 lb. Chicken Breasts boneless and skinless
- 1 tsp. EACH: Salt Black Pepper, Paprika
- 2 tbsp. Olive Oil divided
- 2 tbsp. Salted Butter
- 1 cup Carrots finely chopped, about 3 medium size
- 1/2 Yellow Onion finely chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 Celery Stalks finely chopped
- 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp. Dried Italian Herb Seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- Egg beaten
- Sesame Seeds for garnishing
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with the salt, black pepper and paprika.
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil to warm up until glistening, about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken to sear 6-7 minutes on each side, until fully cooked through. Reduce heat to medium if the skillet gets too hot or begins smoking.
- Remove the chicken to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.
- Add the salted butter to melt in the now empty skillet. Add the finely chopped carrots, onion, garlic, and celery. Saute for 4-5 minutes, until tender and fragrant.
- Stir in the flour and Italian herb seasoning until well incorporated.
- Stir in the chicken stock and heavy cream. Bring to a soft boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Add the chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until finely shredded. Alternatively, use two forks to shred the chicken finely.
- Add the shredded chicken into the skillet and stir until very well combined. The mixture should be very thick. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let cool for 20-30 minutes, until room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line large baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place one sheet of thawed puff pastry on the baking pan. Slice into 4 equal squares.
- Add a generous serving of the chicken filling into the center of each.
- On a lightly floured surface, divide the remaining puff pastry sheet into 4 equal squares. Place on top of each filled puff pastry square. Crimp the edges with a fork. Score the top with 2-3 small slits.
- Place the baking pan in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Afterwards, brush each top with an egg wash then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake until deeply golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Best enjoyed while warm.
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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So creatively yummy & easy too!!! I will be dreaming of eating this until I make it. Thank you for sharing. Just found you & now I’m obsessed with your creations.
Thank you for sharing this recipe was absolutely amazing
yummy
Loved this!! Wanted to make these during the snowstorm we just had. Made my own simple puff pastry dough for it (first time trying that!) and used leftover caramelized onions I had instead of chopping a new one up. Came out delishhh
These were SO. GOOD. Thank you! 🙂
This recipe was so easy and delicious!! I had a rotisserie chicken on hand, which simplified it even more. I was able to make the filling in advance and then throw them together in no time. Everyone loved them!! My husband kept calling them chicken pot pie pockets 🤣 We will definitely be making these again!!
My family loved this! The hand pies were a great meal on the go or at the table.
Do you think this would work if you added buffalo sauce to the chicken or would it be too wet?
I think you could definitely just add 1 tablespoon buffalo sauce at a time until it starts becoming wet!
My family loved this! Definitely adding it to our dinner rotation, especially during the cold winter months. Thank you for sharing!
I don’t have room in my freezer it is necessary to freeze them first?
Hi Michele! It isn’t necessary to freeze, just make sure the chicken pie filling is very cooled down to help it not make the puff pastry soggy!
These were SO delicious!!! Made them immediately after the recipe was posted and they were so easy to make. The best part was the abundance of leftover filling I had even after using all of my traditional puff pastry to make the big squares as shown for the original recipe. I had mini puff pastry shells in my fridge so I let those dethaw for a bit and used the remainder of my filling to make them into mini pot pie shells. Let me just say these were PERFECT to bring with me on the go as a high-protein, filling lunch
SO good!
It was delicious! Perfect for a cold day!
Love this recipe!!! Thank you!! It came out great!!! Easy to follow.
I love these! We’ve made them half a dozen times since finding the recipe. Can they be assembled the night before and just tossed in the oven next day?
you could freeze them and cook from freezer!
This was absolutely delicious!! Very much a hit with my whole family and has already been requested again. Thank you very much!