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Home » Main Course Recipes » Savory Pie Recipes

Chicken, Bacon, and Apricot Pies

Published: Aug 3, 2018 · Modified: Apr 13, 2023 by Emma · This post may contain affiliate links, which can earn us a commission.

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holding a chicken, bacon, and apricot pie
holding a chicken, bacon, and apricot pie cut in half

Individual meat pies are a joy to eat, especially when they're as cute as these chicken, bacon, and apricot pies. The crisp, golden hot water crust pastry encloses a flavorful layered filling.  Making these from scratch takes a little love, but it's so worth it.

holding a chicken, bacon, and apricot pie

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  • Questions
  • How to Make
  • Pro Tips
  • Recommended Tools
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  • Comments

Questions

Does the meat need to be cooked first?

No, the meat and veggies go into the pastry raw.  The pies get very hot while they're baking, which definitely will cook the meat.

Can I freeze the hot water crust pastry?

Once the pastry is baked, it can be frozen.  Uncooked hot water crust pastry can't be frozen, since it needs to be warm when it's shaped.

Can I make these pies ahead of time?

Yes, these pies can be fully baked and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance.

How to Make

Roll out some hot water crust pastry to a 7-inch circle.

rolling out pastry for a chicken, bacon, and apricot pie

Wrap the pastry around a lightly oiled jam jar.  Flatten out the wrinkles, then lay the jar on its side and roll it back and forth until the pastry is smooth.

shaping pastry for chicken, bacon, and apricot pies

Make holes in the lids with a piping nozzle so you can pour in the chicken stock jelly later.

cutting holes in the lids for chicken, bacon, and apricot pies

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.

pouring hot water into the molds for chicken, bacon, and apricot pies

Layer the filling inside as follows: bacon, onion, chicken, apricot, bacon, onion, chicken.

filling the chicken, bacon, and apricot pies

Brush the rim of the pie with beaten egg, then place the lid on top and gently pinch to seal.  Crimp the edges to get a ruffled look.

putting lid on chicken, bacon, and apricot pies

Remember to brush the lids with beaten egg to make the pies golden brown as they bake!

brushing the tops of the chicken, bacon, and apricot pies with beaten egg

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.

pouring the stock into the chicken, bacon, and apricot pies

Slice them in half, and serve.  You and your family will enjoy them for dinner!

holding a chicken, bacon, and apricot pie cut in half

Pro Tips

  • Make sure the hot water crust 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 the pastry with aluminum foil while baking if it's getting too dark.
  • Although the jelly is optional, I recommend it because it keeps the filling moist, fills in the gaps inside the pies, and adds even more lovely chicken flavor.  If you do use the jelly, it's not recommended to warm up the pies, as this will melt the jelly.  Leftover jelly can be poured into a bowl and chilled until set, then served with the pies.
  • Cook any leftover filling over medium heat until the chicken and bacon are cooked.  Add a couple splashes of white cooking wine, then cook for a couple more minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
  • Since these pies keep very well in the fridge for a few days, I recommend making them the day before.

Recommended Tools

  • 8-Ounce Mason Jars: these simple glass jars make it easy to shape the hot water crust.
  • Wilton 9x13-Inch Cookie Sheet: this small baking tray is a good size for this recipe.
  • 2-Cup Glass Measuring Cup: this see-through measuring cup is great for pouring, too.
  • Plastic Funnels: these handy funnels will help you pour the jelly without spilling.
  • Wire Cooling Racks: keep your pastry crisp with these cooling racks.

Other Savory Pies to Enjoy

  • Beef and Potato Pie
  • Irish Dingle Pie
  • Corned Beef Pie
  • Steak & Ale Pie
  • Chicken & Leek Pie

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.

Recipe

holding a chicken, bacon, and apricot pie cut in half

Chicken, Bacon, and Apricot Pies

The flavorful layers of meat, onions, and dried apricots make these individual British pies something you’ll want to try.  Learn how to make them from scratch for your next special dinner!
5 from 5 votes
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: British
Prep Time: 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
Total Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 pies
Calories: 617kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

For the Filling

  • 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
  • 9 slices smoked bacon, cut in small pieces
  • 6 ounces dried apricots, cubed
  • ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Pastry

  • 1 pound hot water crust pastry, still warm
  • 1 large egg, beaten

For the Chicken Stock Jelly (Optional)

  • ⅔ cup unsalted chicken stock
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatine

Instructions

Preparing the Filling (1 hour)

  • Cube the dried apricots and chop the onion.  Rinse and pat dry the thyme, then pull off the leaves until you have ¼ cup (6g) of leaves.  Grate the lemon zest and measure out the salt and pepper.
  • Cut the bacon slices into small pieces, then cube the chicken in small chunks.  Place the meat in separate bowls, cover, and refrigerate until needed.

Shaping the Hand Raised Pies (25 minutes + 20 minutes chilling)

  • Line a 9 by 13-inch rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper, then very lightly oil the outsides of four clean 6-ounce (177 ml) glass canning jars.
  • Divide the still warm hot water crust pastry into four equal pieces.  Cut a small chunk off each piece and set aside to make the lids.
  • Roll out one of the larger pieces of pastry to make a 6 or 7 inch circle.  Place the jar in the center of the circle and bring the pastry up around its sides.  Flatten out the creases with your hands, then lay the jar on its side and roll it back and forth to smooth out the pastry.  Try not to make the pastry too thick, but make sure there are no holes.  Repeat with the remaining jars.
  • Roll the four smaller pieces of pastry into circles a little larger than the mouths of the jars, then cut a ½ inch hole in the center with a piping nozzle.  This will allow you to pour in the stock later.
  • Chill the pastry-wrapped jars and lids for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, fill a kettle with water and bring to a boil.
  • Once the pastry has chilled, trim off the excess pastry to give each pie a flat top.  Fill one of the jars with boiling water, then gently loosen the pastry with a knife and carefully pull the jar out of the pastry.  Repeat with the remaining jars.  Be careful not to let the hot water sit in the pastry-wrapped jars for long, or the pastry will become very soft.

Filling & Crimping the Pies (20 minutes + 50 minutes baking)

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  • Toss the chicken with the lemon zest and half of the thyme, salt, and pepper.  Add the remaining seasonings to the bacon and mix until well blended.
  • Layer the filling in each pie as follows: bacon, onion, chicken, apricot, bacon, onion, chicken.  Make sure the filling goes all the way to the edges of the pie, and be careful not to overstuff.  You will probably have extra filling.
  • Brush the rims of the pies with beaten egg, then place the pastry lid on top.  Pinch the edges gently to seal.  Decoratively crimp the edges by placing your thumb and index finger on top of the edge about ½ inch apart.  Push the index finger of your other hand in between the gap to make a bump.  Repeat all the way around each pie to create a ruffled edge.  Brush the tops with beaten egg.  It's okay if the egg drips down the sides.
  • Bake at 400 F for 50 minutes, until the pastry is a rich golden brown and the pies have an internal temperature of at least 170 F.  Place them on a wire rack and let them cool for 10 minutes.  If you're not adding the chicken stock/gelatin mixture, skip the next steps and serve them warm or cold.

Adding the Chicken Stock Jelly (Optional) (10 minutes)

  • Heat the chicken stock in a small saucepan over medium heat until quite warm.
  • Meanwhile, sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over ¼ cup cold water and mix to combine.  Let stand for 5 minutes, then add to the warm stock and stir until dissolved.
  • After the pies have cooled for 10 minutes, pour the stock into the hole on top with a funnel until each one is full to the top.  The filling will absorb the stock, so check them in a minute or two and continue to add the stock until they are full.
  • Let them cool on the counter for a couple hours, then cover and refrigerate for 8 hours to allow the jellied stock to set.
  • Serve cold and cut in half.

Notes

  • Keep the hot water crust pastry warm, as it will become brittle if it cools completely.  Keep the pastry warm in a double boiler if you can't use it right away.
  • Pies getting too dark?  Cover them with aluminum foil.
  • Do I need the jelly?  Technically, it's optional, but I recommend it because it keeps the filling moist, fills in the gaps inside the pies, and adds even more lovely flavor.  If you do use the jelly, it's not recommended to warm up the pies, as this will melt the jelly.  Leftover jelly can be poured into a bowl and chilled until set, then served with the pies.
  • Leftover filling?  Fry it over medium heat until the meat is cooked.  Add a couple splashes of white cooking wine as it cooks.
  • Need to make ahead?  These pies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 617kcal (31%)Carbohydrates: 91g (30%)Protein: 33g (66%)Fat: 14g (22%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 97mg (32%)Sodium: 1789mg (78%)Potassium: 1009mg (29%)Fiber: 6g (25%)Sugar: 24g (27%)Vitamin A: 1746IU (35%)Vitamin C: 8mg (10%)Calcium: 72mg (7%)Iron: 6mg (33%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mary

    October 05, 2022 at 2:44 pm

    How long and what temperature to reheat?

    Reply
    • Emma

      October 06, 2022 at 6:21 am

      I usually reheat these in the microwave, but you could try warming them at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until hot. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Brigette

    May 21, 2022 at 11:26 pm

    Could this be made into one large pie?

    Reply
    • Emma

      May 22, 2022 at 7:06 am

      Yes, you definitely can make this in one large pie instead. Use a 6 or 8 inch springform pan. As I've never made one this large, I'm not sure how long it would take to bake, but I'd guess around 24-40 minutes.

      Reply
  3. Carlie

    February 01, 2021 at 2:47 pm

    5 stars
    Just delicious. Since I had extra filling I just made more pastry and ended up with 6.

    Reply
    • Emma

      February 02, 2021 at 7:55 am

      So glad that you enjoyed these pies, Carlie!

      Reply
  4. Lisa

    July 04, 2020 at 8:49 am

    Can you substitute fresh peaches for the dried apricots?

    Reply
    • Emma

      July 06, 2020 at 10:00 pm

      Hmmm...you could try it! Let us know how it goes.

      Reply
  5. Valerie

    December 26, 2019 at 8:22 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing!

    Reply
    • Emma

      December 27, 2019 at 9:32 am

      Thank you, Valerie! 😊

      Reply
  6. Beth

    October 12, 2019 at 12:31 pm

    5 stars
    I really like these pies. They are really cute, and they taste good.

    Reply
    • Emma

      October 12, 2019 at 3:40 pm

      Thanks, Beth! Little pies are adorable.

      Reply
  7. KLS

    April 09, 2019 at 5:24 pm

    I have never made a meat pie. Does the meat get cooked first?

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 09, 2019 at 5:48 pm

      For this recipe, the chicken and bacon goes in raw. The pies get very hot inside--almost like a mini oven--and cooks the meat beautifully. For most other savory pies, however, the meat is cooked before the pie is baked.

      Reply
  8. Emily

    March 26, 2019 at 6:13 pm

    If you leave out the jelly can these be served hot?

    Reply
    • Emma

      March 26, 2019 at 9:11 pm

      Of course--you can leave out the jelly and serve the pies hot. I actually like to serve the pies warm, too; the heat brings out the flavors!

      Reply
  9. Sian

    November 09, 2018 at 3:52 pm

    There seems to be a lot of thyme. Is this correct?

    Reply
    • Emma

      November 09, 2018 at 8:03 pm

      Yes, 1/4 cup of thyme leaves is correct. It is a lot, but I think it's necessary to impart a good flavor. Enjoy! 🙂

      Reply

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Welcome to our kitchen! We're Brooke & Emma, the mother-daughter team behind Savor the Flavour. As self-taught cooks and bakers, we love to inspire you to cook from scratch with real food! Increase your kitchen confidence with our recipes, instructional photos, and helpful tips and facts.

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