These hand pies are the perfect accompaniment for your celebratory picnic this year!
We fill our pies with a gorgeous coronation chicken, using a delicious combination of shredded chicken, mayonnaise, yogurt and a mix of turmeric and curry powder to give that infamous golden colour we all know and love. We sprinkle a handful of sultanas to give a gentle sweetness to the pies as you take that first bite.
Along with the pies, we also show you how to make a delectable chutney to dip your pies into. It’s made from the use of chopped mangos and pineapple; stirred together with flavourful spice of cayenne and turmeric to give a hidden warmth to the recipe.
- Start by making the chutney. Chop the mango and pineapple flesh into small pieces. Pour the vinegar and granulated sugar into a pan and heat until dissolved, then increase the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. In a separate pan toast the cumin and coriander seeds.
- Tip the toasted seeds into a pestle and mortar and gently crush but leave some whole for texture. Tip this, plus the chopped fruit and the remaining ingredients into the vinegar pan. Simmer for 1 hour until thick and syrupy – then leave to sit for 10 minutes until cooled and thickened. You can serve this with the hand pies but can store any leftover in a sterilized jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Next start the pastry for the pies. Put the flours and butter in food processor, and then pulse a few times until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 60ml cold water and 1 beaten egg and process until it comes together. Bring together until it forms a smooth dough and then press into a flat disc shape, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the filling by mixing the yoghurt, mayonnaise, curry powder and turmeric to a smooth sauce. Mix in the shredded chicken, sultanas and chopped coriander and season well with Maldon Salt and cracked black pepper.
- Once the pastry has chilled, remove 8 pieces. Roll into discs, add the filling, enclose to a half moon shape and then crimp the edges.
- Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with nigella seeds. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
- Serve with the chutney.
How do you keep your pies from getting soggy?
Our best tip to avoid your pies from getting soggy bottoms is to create a barrier between the filling and the dough. You can do this by sprinkling breadcrumbs on the bottom of the crust before you fill them in and bake in the oven. As a result, this will stop the juices from the filling from seeping into the dough and turning the crust soggy.
Can you make this recipe vegan?
If you are wanting a plant-based alternative for this recipe, we recommend using chickpeas, mashed to the desired consistency to replicate the shredded chicken. For the sauce, you can swap out the dairy with a vegan mayonnaise instead, which are sold in most supermarkets.
