These healthy, delicious mini chicken and asparagus pot pies are a fantastic way to turn your chicken leftovers into a family meal. These creamy chicken pot pies come with a light, crispy puff pastry top, are low in fat, simple and super easy to make.
These mini chicken and asparagus pies are a proof that delicious comfort food can also be healthy. Although rich and creamy, these mini pot pies are low in fat, full of goodness and made using a moderate amount of light, flaky pastry.
What meat should I use
I recommend either a combination of dark and white or just dark meat. Breast meat (i.e. white meat) on its own can be a little dry, especially as you are using meat that’s already been cooked.
You could use leftover meat from your roast chicken dinner as well as chicken soup.
How to prepare the meat
If you don't have chicken leftovers you could simply boil some chicken legs quarters (without the skin) with salt and pepper and a bay leaf for more flavour and use that.
Alternatively, you could roast a whole chicken the night before. This is actually a pretty effortless way of preparing chicken even if it does require a bit of time.
Season the chicken, place in a roasting pan, throw in some thyme or bay leaf if you like, drizzle with a little oil and slow roast in the bottom of the oven for 2-3 hours, depending on the size of your chicken (310 F/160 C). Baste 3-4 times throughout cooking. You may want to cover it loosely with a sheet of tin foil 3 quarters of the way through to prevent it browning too much. Once cooled, separate the meat from the bone, chop or shred and use in your pie filling.
How to prepare the asparagus
Snap off the tough woody ends from the asparagus tips (usually about 2-3 cm long) and chop the asparagus into pieces about 3 cm long. There is no need to cook the asparagus before adding into the pie filling.
I recommend using asparagus that has a medium thickness. Very thin asparagus tips may become a little too tender in the oven. On the other hand, ones that are super thick might be a little too crunchy. So medium is best.
Also weigh the asparagus after you’ve removed the tough ends.
How to prepare the puff pastry
I used ready rolled puff pastry in this chicken pot pie recipe as it’s light, fluffy and delicious as well as super easy to use. Just unroll your pastry and cut out squares or circles that are a little larger than your dish. You could also trim the pastry to fit your dish if you prefer.
Just as a reference, I used a 320g pastry sheet, which I was able to cut into 6 squares for 6 mini pies and nothing got wasted.
For best results take the pastry out of the fridge 30 minutes before you make the recipe. Once you’ve unrolled it, however, use it straight away to prevent it drying.
Top tip
If using frozen pastry defrost it first (overnight in the fridge is best) then roll out and make the recipe.
Chicken and asparagus pie ingredients
In addition to the chicken and asparagus the filling for these mini chicken pot pies also involves making a white sauce which contains a little mustard for sharpness, fromage frais (fromage blanc) for a hint of tanginess as well as thyme and onion granules for added flavour.
I used semi-skimmed (about 2% fat) milk and only 2 tablespoons of butter so this sauce is low in fat, though still creamy and delicious. Plus it only takes about 5 minutes to make!
Good to know
This sauce is quite thick to start with but do not be alarmed! It will have the perfect consistency once the pies are cooked (the asparagus will release moisture as it’s cooking).
How to make mini chicken pot pies with asparagus: step-by-step
1.To make the sauce in a saucepan heat up the butter, add the flour and quickly whisk until well combined and smooth.
2. Add half of the milk, increase the heat and whisk until the sauce thickens. Add the rest of the milk and continue cooking and whisking until the sauces starts bubbling up. Remove from the heat, add the fromage frais, mustard, onion granules, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth.
Once you’ve shredded the chicken, prepared the asparagus, made the sauce and prepared the pastry you are 5 minutes away from completing your recipe.
3. Combine the sauce with the meat and asparagus and stir well.
4. Spoon the mixture into your mini pie dishes, filling almost though not quite up to the top.
(If you fill it right up to the top the sauce is more likely to escape during cooking and you’ll have pretty messy looking pies).
5. Place your pastry on top of each pie, pressing gently to seal along the rim and brush with the egg mixture. Make a little cut on top of each pie (to allow the steam to escape during cooking) and refrigerate the pies for 15 minutes. Place the pies on a baking tray, leaving plenty of space in between and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes.
If your pies start getting too brown cover them loosely with tin foil (for the final 7-10 minutes).
6. Remove from the oven and serve.
Serving suggestions
These individual little asparagus chicken pies can be served on their own or with a simple salad, mashed potatoes, garden peas or steamed vegetables. If you are making them as one of several brunch/party dishes they would be delicious with honey glazed roasted carrots or braised red cabbage with beetroot.
Top tips
- Do not fill your dishes with the chicken mixture right up to the top as the sauce may spill out during cooking.
- Remove the pastry from the fridge about 30 minutes before making the pies.
- You can trim the pastry to fill your dish or cut it into larger squares as I have done.
- Once you've assembled the pies it's a good idea to refrigerate them for 15 minutes before popping in the oven (your pastry will be lighter and flakier).
- Use a mixture of dark and white meat or just dark meat. White meat alone might be a little dry.
- I recommend using asparagus tips that aren't too thick or thin. Medium thickness is best.
- Be generous with the pepper when making the filling mixture.
- Brush the pastry with only a very thin coating of the egg mixture.
- Best served immediately.
Substitutions
- Use chicken/vegetable stock instead of the milk if you prefer (if you make this swap you will probably not need to add any salt into the sauce).
- I like to use white pepper in chicken dishes involving a white sauce but black pepper is fine too.
- You can use thick yogurt, creme fraiche or sour cream instead of the fromage frais.
Make ahead
What I love about these mini chicken pot pies is that you can assemble the entire recipe and refrigerate the pies overnight (bake from chilled). You can also make the filling mixture, refrigerate overnight and assemble the pies just before baking.
Whichever method you choose ensure the filling mixture has cooled completely before refrigerating.
Freezing
You can prepare these mini chicken asparagus pies ahead and freeze, unbaked (bake from frozen but allow more time to ensure the pies are cooked through). Alternatively make the filling alone and freeze that (defrost before assembling the pies).
You might also like
You may also like this collection of 13 healthy easy one pot chicken recipes.
Keep in touch!
How have your chicken and asparagus pies turned out for you? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!
Mini Chicken and Asparagus Pot Pies (Healthy)
Equipment
- 6 mini pie dishes/ramekins
Ingredients
- 320 g ready-to-eat chicken chopped/shredded
- 220 g asparagus, weigh after the tough ends have been snapped off chopped into 3 cm long pieces
- 320 g 1 ready rolled puff pastry sheet room temperature
- 1 small egg lightly beaten
For the Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 240 ml semi-skimmed milk
- 1½ tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fromage frais/thick yogurt/sour cream
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, white pepper, onion granules and dried thyme each
Instructions
- Take the pastry out of the fridge 30 minutes before making the recipe.Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. You will need 5-6 ramekins/mini pie dishes.
- To make the sauce in a saucepan melt the butter, add the flour and quickly whisk over a low/medium heat until the mixture becomes smooth. Add half of the milk, increase the heat and cook until the mixture thickens whisking all the time. Pour in the rest of the milk and continue cooking and whisking until the sauce starts bubbling up. Remove from the heat, add the mustard, seasoning and fromage frais/fromage blanc and stir until smooth.
- In a large bowl combine the sauce with the chicken and asparagus. Spoon the mixture into your ramekins stopping about 0.5 cm from the top.
- Unroll the pastry and cut out squares or circles. The shapes can, but don't have to be a little bigger than your dish. Place the pastry shapes over the pies pressing gently to seal along the rim and make a small cut to allow the steam to escape during cooking. Using a pastry brush thinly coat the top of the pastry with the egg mixture. Refrigerate the pies for 15 minutes.
- Place the pies on a large baking sheet leaving plenty of room in between and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes. If the pies start to brown a little too much (after 15 minutes or so) cover them loosely with a large sheet of tin foil.
- Remove from the oven, set aside for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Do not fill your dishes with the chicken mixture right up to the top as the sauce may spill out during cooking.
- Remove the pastry from the fridge about 30 minutes before making the pies.
- You can trim the pastry to fill your dish or cut it into larger squares as I have done.
- Once you've assembled the pies it's a good idea to refrigerate them for 15 minutes before popping in the oven (your pastry will be lighter and flakier).
- Use a mixture of dark and white meat or just dark meat. White meat alone might be a little dry.
- I recommend using asparagus tips that aren't too thick or thin. Medium thickness is best.
- Be generous with the pepper when making the filling mixture.
- Brush the pastry with only a very thin coating of the egg mixture.
- Best served immediately.
- What I love about these mini chicken pot pies is that you can assemble the entire recipe and refrigerate the pies overnight (bake from chilled). You can also make the filling mixture, refrigerate overnight and assemble the pies just before baking. Whichever method you choose ensure the filling mixture has cooled completely before refrigerating.
- You can prepare these mini chicken asparagus pies ahead and freeze, unbaked (bake from frozen but allow more time to ensure the pies are cooked through). Alternatively make the filling alone and freeze that (defrost before assembling the pies).
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
I haven't made any homemade pot pies from years and my daughter is not happy about it. You have just inspired me as I love that they are mini.
I am so glad, thanks!
These are so cute! I know they would go down very well in this house 😀 Eb x
Thanks Eb! They went down really well here too:)
Just fabulous Monika! I love Chicken Pot Pies and these look so cute and delicious. So full of flavour what a real treat for any day of the week. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare
Thank you Jenny, they are so easy to make they really are suitable for any day of the week.
Your pot pies are the very definition of comfort food! Thanks so much for bringing this dish over to Fiesta Friday this week!
Thank you! Happy FF!
Oh I do love chicken pot pies! I haven't had one in years but I'm salivating looking at your photos!!
Thank you! I don't make them very often but these were so popular with the family I'll probably have to make more next weekend!
As usual absolutely yummy
Thank you! And thanks for stopping by!
Love these Monika!
Thanks DeeDee! They were SO good!