Web-exclusive - Chicken Pies with Pumpkin Mash

 
You may wish to serve these homely individual pies as we did with baby carrots, gently sautéed in olive oil with grated fresh ginger and finished with a drizzle of honey. 
 

  • ½ medium pumpkin, cut into chunks
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • Nutmeg and sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • Small handful fresh herbs (eg parsley, thyme), chopped
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 400g)
  • 420g can condensed creamy chicken soup
  • ½ cup whole kernel corn
  • ¼ cup soft breadcrumbs
  • 1½ sheets flaky puff pastry

 

Preheat oven to 180°C. Roast pumpkin with skin on until tender, 30-40 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and mash flesh with butter and nutmeg and salt to taste.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan and sauté garlic, celery, onion and herbs until softened. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, add to pan and cook until colored. Add soup and corn and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add breadcrumbs, season to taste and set aside 10 minutes to cool.

Cut pastry into 6 squares. Spray or lightly grease 6 large muffin moulds and line with pastry. Divide chicken filling between cases and top with mashed pumpkin. Bake 30-40 minutes until pastry is golden.  
 
Makes 6