Chicken, Bacon, and Apricot Pies (2024)

Individual meat pies are a joy to eat, especially when they're as cute as these hand raised chicken, bacon, and apricot pies. The crisp, golden hot water crust pastry encloses a flavorful layered filling.

If you love other British savory pies, make sure to try our recipes for vegetarian Woolton pie, chicken and mushroom pie, and chicken and leek pie.

Why This Recipe Works

• We're using the right pastry. Hand-raised pies like these chicken, bacon, and apricot pies are traditionally made with a very strong pastry that can support the heavy fillings without the use of a tin. This pastry, called hot water crust, is very easy to make!
• We're using jam jars instead of a dolly. Traditionally, hand-raised pies were shaped around a wooden mold called a dolly, but the pastry can stick to the mold and be hard to remove. Using the jam jars instead is much easier and more foolproof because hot water can be poured into the jars, loosening the pastry.
• Jelly is added to the pies after baking. This is a mixture of chicken broth and unflavored gelatin, which is poured through the vent hole in the top and hardens in the fridge. Not only does the jelly improve the flavor, but it also keeps the filling fresher by filling any air gaps and helps the pie reduce cracking during transport.

Ingredients

Curious what ingredients you need to make these delicious chicken, bacon, and apricot pies? Fortunately, it takes mostly simple ingredients that are easy to find. Let's talk about the most important ingredients!

• Hot Water Crust: It's best to make these pies with homemade hot water pastry, as it's the only pastry sturdy enough to support the heavy filling without a tin.
• Meat: A mixture of cubed raw chicken breast and small pieces of raw bacon are the best options. Feel free to experiment with chicken thighs or different flavors of bacon for a different result.
• Apricots: Dried apricots are a great option here. Be sure to finely dice them so they fit easily into the pies.
• Fresh Thyme: This is one of the most important seasonings in these pies. We like thyme and used a lot in this recipe, so feel free to dial it back if it's too much for you.
• Unflavored Gelatin: It's traditional to serve these hand-raised meat pies cold with a chicken jelly inside. You'll need to have unflavored gelatin powder or sheets of gelatin to thicken the jelly.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Chicken: Swap the chicken breasts for chicken thighs or chicken pieces for a different flavor and texture.
• Bacon: Try smoked bacon for extra flavor.
• Herbs: Exchange the thyme for another of your favorite fresh herbs that would go well with these flavors, such as oregano or rosemary. Add to taste.

How to Make

1. Roll out some hot water crust pastry to a 7-inch circle.
2. Wrap the pastry around a lightly oiled jam jar.

3. Flatten out the wrinkles, then lay the jar on its side and roll it back and forth until the pastry is smooth.
4. Make holes in the lids with a piping nozzle so you can pour in the chicken stock jelly later.

5. Chill the pastry for 20 minutes, then trim off the excess. Doing one jar at a time, fill the jar with boiling water, then loosen the pastry with a knife and pull out the jar.
6. Layer the filling inside as follows: bacon, onion, chicken, apricot, bacon, onion, chicken.

7. Brush the rim of the pie with beaten egg.
8. Place the lid on top and gently pinch to seal.

9. Crimp the edges to get a ruffled look.
10. Brush the lids with beaten egg to make the pies golden brown as they bake!

11. Bake at 400°F for about 50 minutes, until golden brown. Pour in the chicken stock jelly while the pies are hot, then let them cool. Refrigerate them for 8 hours to allow the jelly to set inside.
12. Slice them in half, and serve. You and your family will enjoy them for dinner!

Recipe FAQs

Serve

Serve these chicken, bacon, and apricot pies cold if you added the chicken jelly. Reheating them will melt the jelly! However, if you didn't add the jelly, you can definitely serve the pies warm.

Accompany these dainty pies with other British favorites like a bowl of broccoli and Stilton soup, a slice of bloomer bread, or a dish of mushy peas. Serve a dessert like coffee and walnut cake or chocolate roulade to finish the meal.

Looking for other chicken dinner ideas? Make sure to try our recipes for chicken empanadas, chicken fricassee, smothered chicken, creamy lemon chicken, and poached chicken breasts.

Store

Leftovers: These pies will keep well in the fridge for 3-5 days, as long as they are tightly covered or sealed in an airtight container.

Freezing: These pies freeze very well. Wrap them individually in aluminum foil, then seal them in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

Reheating: Bake the pies at 350°F for a few minutes until heated through, or microwave individual servings on high until warm.

If you added the jelly to the pies, they'll need to be served cold, as reheating them would cause the jelly to melt.

Expert Tips

• Make sure the hot water pastry is still warm, since it hardens and becomes brittle once it's cooled. Keep the pastry warm in a double boiler if you can't use it right away.
• Cover with aluminum foil while baking if the top is getting too dark.
• We recommend adding the jelly because it keeps the filling moist, fills in the gaps inside the pies, and adds more lovely flavor. Leftover jelly can be poured into a bowl and chilled until set, then served with the pies.
• Pan fry any leftover filling over medium heat until the chicken and bacon are cooked. Add a couple splashes of white cooking wine for extra flavor.
• Make these pies in advance to allow the jelly to set. Serve them cold, or otherwise the jelly will melt when the pies are reheated.

Other Savory Pies to Enjoy

Recipe