Almost CORE Chicken Filo Pies (+0.5 pts)

A plain chicken pie base with flavour options like mushroom, pepper, coriander, curry etc.

Includes instructions for making as a family pie and as individual pies
I prefer individual pies as it helps control portion distortion and prevent seconds-itis :)

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 750g chicken thigh fillets, diced 1cm
• oil spray
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 2 tsp chicken stock
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 3 TB cornflour
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup peas
• 2 cups mixed vegies (frozen or fresh diced small and steamed)
• 3 cubes frozen spinach
• 6 sheets filo pastry

The above ingredients make a middle of the road "creamy" chicken and vegetable pie which you can add your favourite flavourings.

Optional - herbs of choice

• For a plain family friendly pie, just add a little parsley
• For a creamy Thai style, add a bunch of chopped coriander and 2 tsp mint (pictured)
• For mushroom chicken, add 1 cup chopped mushrooms with the other veg and a sachet of cup-a-soup style cream of mushroom soup (point it)
• For pepper chicken, add lots of cracked pepper
• For curry chicken - add 2 tsp mild curry powder, and adjust to taste.
• For farmhouse style, add tarragon and thyme
• For basil chicken, you guessed it, add chopped basil
• You can also use any of the herb, spice or seasoning blends like Moroccan, Thai, mixed herbs, lemon pepper, Italian etc

Method:

Spray a large pan with oil, heat and add chicken, onion and garlic.
Fry for about 10 mins until chicken is no longer pink on the outside.
Turn heat down to low and add 1 cup water, stock, salt and pepper and simmer with lid on for 15 mins.
Mix the cornflour with 1/4 cup water and add to pot with the milk. Stir for 5 mins while sauce thickens.
Add vegies and herbs and turn off heat - mix must cool before it can be in contact with the pastry. (If your stove top or pan retains heat, pour into a plastic of pyrex bowl).
Take filo out of fridge, it's easier to work with at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 200*C

Individual pies:
Lay out 1 sheet of filo, spray with oil and fold in half.
Drape carefully over a medium ramekin or a 1 cup muffin tray.
Put 1 cup of mix in center, spray and fold down pastry to cover mix.
Repeat to make 6 pies.
Bake for approx 30 mins until golden brown.
Serve within 10 minutes - filo gets soggy when it sits.

NB - with 1 sheet of filo, the base can be a little soft and is best served in the ramekins. If serving on plate, use 2 sheets of filo pastry for more firmness.

Family pie:
Spray pie dish with oil spray.
Cut 6 sheets of filo in half.
Put first sheet in base of pie dish and spray with oil.
Pepeat for 2nd - 7th sheet, rotating dish/filo so that one sheet does not overlay another (looks like a big star).
Add pie filling.
Place 1 sheet of filo on top of filling, spray with oil, repeat with sheets 2-5, again staggering each sheet.
Crinkle or fold down pastry edges to seal pie. Spray again.
Bake for approx 30 mins until golden brown.
Serve within 10 minutes - filo gets soggy when it sits.

On Core? Allow 0.5 pts per serve for the filo

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is approx 23.5 pts, or 6 points per serve