THE EASIEST HOMEMADE BUTTER CHICKEN PIES

Simple Homemade Butter Chicken Pies… the perfect warming comfort food that’s incredibly delicious. Crispy puff pastry encases a rich and flavourful Indian-inspired butter chicken filling, made with plenty of spicy, creamy sauce. It’s cozy, creamy, a little spicy, and filled with warming Indian flavours. The best part? These pies can be made in a pie maker, making them quick and easy to prepare. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or for entertaining guests… and the leftovers are even more delicious the next day.

The butter chicken filling is made with a winning combo of spices, tomato, butter, and cream. It’s rich and warming, but the spice blend is really what makes this dish. Using a mix of Garam Masala, cumin, turmeric, garlic, and plenty of ginger is key to getting an authentic flavour.

Traditionally, Butter Chicken is marinated for many hours in yogurt and spices, but nobody has time for that… so I’ve adjusted it slightly to create a quicker but still super flavourful recipe!

So how do we make these delicious pies?

The key to a great butter chicken pie is a delicious filling. Start by searing the chicken in a pan until the edges start caramelising. Remove the chicken and leave it on a plate covered to keep warm while we make the sauce.

To that same pan saute some onion in butter before adding all those delicious spices. Stir through the passata and a splash of water and let simmer for a couple of minutes. If you’re like me and prefer a smooth sauce, use a stick blender to blend the sauce. Then throw the chicken back in and stir through the cream.

Allow the sauce to simmer for as long as you can, half an hour is good. And that’s it… super simple and so delicious.

As this cooks, your kitchen will smell truly incredible.

Let the filling cool a bit before filling the pies. Load up your pie maker (or ramekins if you don’t have one) with the thawed pastry and filling. Cook the pies for 6-8 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed. If using an oven, set the temperature to 180 degrees C.

These butter chicken pies are a delicious and convenient way to enjoy the classic flavours of butter chicken. The puff pastry adds a crispy texture, and the pie maker makes it easy to cook a batch at a time. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or for entertaining guests, these pies are sure to be a hit. They’re also great to throw in your lunch box and take to work the following day!

Wanting more Indian-inspired recipes? Try these:

• Creamy vegan tikka masala
• Crispy turmeric cauliflower and chickpea rice bowls

And finally, if you make these Simple Homemade Butter Chicken Pies be sure to leave a comment and tell me about it! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

THE EASIEST HOMEMADE BUTTER CHICKEN PIES

Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy

Makes

8

pies

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

The perfect warming comfort food that’s incredibly delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 chicken thighs, diced into small pieces

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1 yellow onion

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp minced ginger

• 1 1/2 tbsp garam masala

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 cup passata

• 1 cup cream

• 4 sheets of frozen puff pastry

• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

• Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and half tbsp of garam masala and sear on both sides until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken.
• To the pan, add the onion and butter and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until very fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  
• Add the passata and half a cup of water and bring to a simmer before reducing the heat to low. Use a stick blender to make the sauce smooth. Add back the chicken and stir through the cream. Leave to gently simmer for 15 minutes to half an hour.
• Let the filling cool a bit before filling the pies. To make the crust, cut the defrosted pastry sheets into circles large enough to fit your pie maker. Spoon some of the cooled butter chicken filling into the centre of each puff pastry circle. Top with another pastry round and use a fork to press down on the edges to ensure they are sealed properly. Brush over some egg wash and poke a hole in the top of each one. Cook the pies for 6-8 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.