Chicken and Spinach Pie... and some Dried Fruit

Today I did a very easy craft ready for Christmas... with the added bonus of having a sweet smelling kitchen. I dehydrated citrus fruits (Grapefruit, Oranges, Lemons and Limes) to use in Christmas decor come December. So simple to do.

Wash the citrus and slice it into ¼ inch thick rounds.

Place the slices in a single layer on dehydrator trays  

Dry the citrus at 135°F for 4–8 hours

or until it's crisp and brittle.,, and not at all sticky

Once dehydrated, store the citrus in an airtight container in a cool, dark place

until ready for Christmas decorating

They can also be done in the oven at 170°F, and for 3–5 hours, flipping every few hours

A couple of weeks ago I made a couple of pies for the freezer. At the time I said I would post the recipes when I baked them. So here's the first.. Creamy Chicken and Spinach Pie which is super easy to make.. and really delicious. Its ready in under an hour and perfect for the whole family. Serve it with mash or roast potatoes but you can have it with anything you like!

1 puff pastry sheet

1 chicken breast shredded (approx 250g)
1 shallot or small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
1.5 tbsp plain flour
250ml chicken stock
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tsp red chili flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
100ml double cream (heavy whipping cream)
50g spinach

• Saute onion and garlic in a little oil until slightly soft
• Add butter and  flour and cook for a couple of minutes stirring til smooth 
• Add chicken stock and stir until combined
• Mix in the oregano, tarragon, nutmeg, chili flakes, pepper and salt 
• Add cooked shredded chicken, spinach, and the cream and mix together well

• Set to one side until absolutely cool.. otherwise your pie will have a soggy bottom! 
• Slice one puff pastry sheet in half 
• Top one half with the cooled down filling leaving an 1/2 inch around the edge. 
• Fold the other half of the sheet and make slits down the fold making a pattern which also lets the steam out

• Seal the edges with a fork
• At this point you can freeze the pie for  later date making sure its fully defrosted before baking
• Brush the top with an beaten egg 

• Bake in a preheated oven at 200C/180C(fan) for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown
• Enjoy

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x