Moroccan Chicken Pie

This North African-inspired recipe – Moroccan Chicken Pie is filled to the brim with saffron, spices, preserved lemon and green olives. Topped with crunchy almonds and a mile-high, golden puff pastry lid, these pot pies are guaranteed to become a new family favourite this winter!

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4
Skill Level: easy

Moroccan Chicken Pie with Carême All Butter Puff Pastry

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Where to buy Carême Pastry

Ingredients

1 (375g packet) Carême All Butter Puff Pastry, defrosted
1kg chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2.5cm pieces
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground ginger
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Saffron threads
1 teaspoon chopped preserved lemon rind
80g green olives, pitted and sliced
1 ½ cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaf and stalk
2 tablespoons flaked almonds
1 egg yolk, beaten
Equipment
4 x 300 ml ramekins or small ceramic pie dishes (if using 200ml ramekins, this recipe will make 6)
Large frypan
Lined baking tray
Pastry brush

Method

Combine the flour, cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger in a large bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the mixture, tossing to coat it on all sides, then set aside.
In a large frypan, add half the olive oil and preheat on medium. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until translucent (5-6 minutes). Remove the onion and garlic from the pan, then increase the heat to high and add the remaining olive oil. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until lightly browned on all sides (about 3-4 mins). Stir in the stock, add the saffron, preserved lemon, and olives, then turn the heat down to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the coriander and set aside (at this point you can either cool the filling completely to make the pies later, or you can proceed to making our ultimate pie lid).

To complete the dish

Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced (220°C conventional).
Divide the cooled filling between the 4 x 300ml ramekins and top each one with flaked almonds.
Unroll the pastry and cut four circles, 5mm larger than your pie dishes. Invert (cut side face down) the pastry onto a lined baking tray, then brush with beaten egg yolk, being careful not the brush the glaze over the cut edge.
Place the baking tray into the freezer to chill for 15 minutes and place the filled ramekins onto a separate tray.
When you’re ready to bake, you will cook the tops and pie filling separately. Place the tray with the pie tops in the top half of the oven, and the tray with the pie ramekins in the bottom half. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and fully risen.
Remove both trays from the oven, then place the cooked pastry tops onto each filled pie ramekin and serve immediately.