These are hand-held pasties filled with ground chicken breast, mushrooms, red pepper, leek, and spinach, all bound together with a simple béchamel made right in the pan. One sheet of pie dough wraps four portions, and the filling covers your protein and vegetables in a single package. If you want a portable meal that doesn’t feel like a compromise, this is a solid option.
The technique that matters
The béchamel-in-the-pan method is what holds this recipe together — literally. After the vegetables and chicken are cooked, flour goes straight into the pan and gets toasted for a few minutes before any milk is added. That toasting step matters: raw flour gives the filling a pasty, gluey texture, while toasted flour produces a sauce that’s nutty and stable. Add the milk slowly and keep stirring; rushing this step causes lumps and a filling that’s either too loose (soggy pastry) or too thick (dry, dense bite). The second thing worth getting right is the chicken doneness. Ground chicken breast must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) — no pink, no exceptions. Because the chicken goes into the pan only for the last 2–4 minutes before the béchamel is built, make sure it’s fully cooked through at that stage, not just lightly browned on the outside. The oven time finishes the pastry, not the protein.
Common problems and fixes
- Soggy bottom crust: Too much liquid in the filling is the usual cause. Let the finished béchamel filling cool for at least 15 minutes before spooning it onto the dough. Hot filling steams the pastry from the inside before it has a chance to crisp.
- Filling spills out during baking: Overfilling is the culprit. Leave at least a 2 cm (¾ inch) border around the edge, and press the crimped seam firmly — use a fork rather than just pinching with your fingers for a more secure seal.
- Pastry tears when folding: If the dough cracks when you fold it over the filling, it’s too cold and stiff. Let it sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before rolling. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish.
- Pale, soft crust despite full bake time: The egg wash may have been applied too thinly, or the oven wasn’t fully preheated. Make sure the oven is at 200°C (390°F) before the pasties go in, and use a brush to apply an even, thorough coat of beaten egg.
- Watery filling after cutting: Mushrooms release a lot of moisture. Cook them until that liquid has fully evaporated from the pan before adding the flour — if there’s visible liquid pooling around the mushrooms, keep the heat up and stir until it’s gone.
Make-ahead notes
The béchamel filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in a sealed container in the fridge — cool it completely before refrigerating. Assembled but unbaked pasties can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; hold off on the egg wash until just before they go into the oven. Baked pasties keep in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in an oven or toaster oven at 180°C (350°F) for 12–15 minutes to bring the crust back to life — a microwave will make the pastry soft and chewy. For freezing, freeze the assembled unbaked pasties on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag; they keep for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 200°C (390°F) for 50–55 minutes, checking that the internal temperature of the filling reaches 165°F (74°C) before serving.
Chicken and Vegetable Pasties with Creamy Béchamel
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.1 lb ground chicken breast - minced chicken breast, about 500g
- 5 oz button or cremini mushrooms - sliced, about 150g
½ medium red pepper (red capsicum) - diced, about 75g / 2.5oz
1 small leek - white and light green parts only, sliced into thin half-moons, about 150g / 5oz- 3.5 oz spinach leaves - fresh ; about 100g
- 1 sheet pie dough
2 tablespoons olive oil - 30ml
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper - or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg - or to taste
1 medium egg - beaten, for egg wash
4 tablespoons all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - plain flour in Australia and UK, 35g / 1.2oz- 2 cups whole milk - full-cream milk, about 480ml
Instructions
Béchamel Filling
- Wash and prepare all vegetables: slice the mushrooms, dice the red pepper into 1cm / ½-inch pieces, slice the leek into thin half-moons, and leave the spinach leaves whole.5 oz button or cremini mushrooms, 1/2 medium red pepper (red capsicum), 1 small leek, 3.5 oz spinach leaves
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, red pepper, and leek. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and any mushroom liquid has evaporated. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, about 1–2 minutes. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan, add the ground chicken to the centre, and cook for 3–4 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until fully cooked through with no pink remaining (internal temperature 74°C / 165°F). Season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir everything together.1.1 lb ground chicken breast, 5 oz button or cremini mushrooms, 1/2 medium red pepper (red capsicum), 1 small leek, 3.5 oz spinach leaves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over the filling and stir constantly for 2–3 minutes until the flour smells nutty and no white patches remain. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the milk about 80ml / ⅓ cup at a time, stirring thoroughly after each addition until the mixture is smooth before adding more. Continue until all the milk is incorporated. Cook for a further 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the béchamel is thick enough to hold its shape when you tilt the pan — it should look like a thick stew, not a soup. Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before filling the pastry.4 tablespoons all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK), 2 cups whole milk
Assembly and Baking
- Lightly flour your work surface. Unroll the pie dough sheet and roll it out to approximately 35x30cm / 14×12 inches to give you enough room for folding.1 sheet pie dough
- Spoon the cooled béchamel filling onto one half of the dough, leaving a 2cm / 1-inch border around the edges. Fold the empty half over the filling and press the edges firmly together. Crimp the sealed edge with a fork or fold it over to create a rope pattern. Use a sharp knife to cut 3–4 small steam vents in the top of the pasty.1 sheet pie dough
- Preheat your oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C / 350°F fan-forced). Transfer the pasty to a lined baking tray. Brush the entire surface evenly with the beaten egg using a pastry brush — this creates a deep golden, glossy finish.1 medium egg
- Bake for 35–40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown and crisp. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes. Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before slicing into 4 equal portions. If using an instant-read thermometer, confirm the internal filling temperature is at least 74°C / 165°F.
Notes
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I use store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of raw ground chicken?
No — pre-cooked chicken won’t work well here because the recipe relies on raw ground chicken being cooked in the pan before the flour and milk are added to build the béchamel. Using pre-cooked chicken would mean it gets overcooked and dry, and the fat and juices that help flavor the sauce won’t be present.
How do I know the filling is thick enough before I wrap the pasties?
Tilt the pan — the filling should hold its shape and not run freely across the surface. It should look more like a thick stew than a soup; if it’s still loose, stir over medium heat for another 2–3 minutes to reduce it further before removing from the heat.
Can I make this with a different cut of chicken, like thigh mince?
Yes, ground chicken thigh works and produces a slightly richer, moister filling than breast. The food safety rule is the same: the chicken must reach 165°F (74°C) internally, so don’t pull it off the heat early just because it looks done on the outside.
More mince recipes to try
- Savory Pork Apple Pasties
- Chicken Macadamia Sausage Rolls
- Wild Venison Mushroom Pies
- Colombian Chicken Cheese Empanadas
