Curry Chicken Hand Pies

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Two Halves of a Chicken Curry Hand Pie on a Black Surface
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Curry Chicken Hand Pies

When the late fall chill sets in, there's nothing better than warming up the kitchen with something hearty and flavorful. These hand pies combine savory ground chicken, caramelized onions, butternut squash, and warm spices, all wrapped in a delicious golden crust. The aroma alone will give you that warm and cozy feeling … but just wait until you taste it!

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium white onion (about 1 ¾ cup), finely diced
  • 1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (10-oz.) bag frozen butternut squash
  • 1 (5-oz.) container fresh spinach
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 egg (for filling)
  • 2 (18-oz.) packages Wholly Wholesome Pie and Pastry dough, thawed according to package
  • 1 egg, whisked for egg wash
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until just softened. Add the ground chicken and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, curry powder, cayenne (if using), and garlic, cooking until very aromatic, about 1 minute.

Add the squash and spinach to the pan and stir. Sprinkle the mixture with flour and stir well, cook a minute or two, and then add the chicken stock.

Gently simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a large bowl and cool completely in the fridge. Once cooled, add one egg and combine well. Place back in the fridge until ready to fill the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll one package of the dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Use a 4-inch biscuit cutter (or trace a 4-inch plate) to cut out as many 4-inch circles as possible, rerolling scraps as needed. You can also cut the dough into other shapes, as long as they’re the same size, with two pieces per hand pie. You will need 20 circles to make 10 hand pies.

Add about 2 Tablespoons of the chicken filling to the center of each circle, forming it into a mound, leaving borders free to allow for sealing.

Brush the edges of the filled pie with the egg wash and place another dough piece on top. Crimp the edges together with a fork or twist and pinch the edges to make a “rope” edge. Brush egg wash over the top of the pie, make a few slits for vent holes, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and put them in the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes.

After freezing, preheat oven to 400° and place hand pies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown, then serve.