Chicken and red pepper pie recipe

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This chicken and red pepper pie is under 450 calories per portion and only takes 35 minutes to cook

chicken and red pepper pie
(Image credit: Future)
  • healthy
Serves4
SkillEasy
Cooking Time35 mins
Cost RangeCheap
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories414 Kcal21%
Fat18.5 g26%
Sugars3.7 g4%
Saturated Fat9.2 g46%
Protein44.1 g88%
Carbohydrates13.4 g5%

Our easy chicken and red pepper pie has a creamy tarragon white wine sauce and is 414 calories per portion. 

Whereas the Joe Wicks chicken pie uses filo pastry for a lighter finish, we roll the puff pastry which makes it stretch further and keeps the calorie count well under 500. Serve with steamed vegetables and a carrot and swede mash if you want lighter options compared to the classic creamy mashed potatoes. 

Ingredients

  • 1/2tbsp olive oil
  • 4 chicken breasts, approx 650g, cut into small cubes
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and cubed
  • 100ml white wine
  • Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
  • 200g low-fat crème fraîche
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 85g puff pastry, thinly rolled

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  1. Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan, Gas 7). Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the chicken and fry for 5 minutes until turning golden. Stir in the pepper and cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Pour in the white wine and stir in the tarragon. Simmer over a low heat for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly and stir in the crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Transfer to a pie dish. Brush sides of the dish with a little beaten egg, then cover with the pastry. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and make a couple of air vents with a sharp knife. Bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is well risen and golden and the filling is piping hot.

Top tips for making chicken and red pepper pie 

When you add the crème fraîche it’s important the mixture in the pan isn’t too hot. The low-fat content will make it prone to splitting. For more tips and ingredient substitution ideas, continue reading below. 

What is the healthiest pastry for pie?

The lowest calorie pastry is filo pastry. The thin pastry can be scrunched up to provide a satisfying, crunchy texture without adding lots of calories to your dish. According to the British Heart Foundation, filo pastry has 2.9g fat per 100g compared to over 26g of fat for the same quantity of puff pastry. 

What else can I put in chicken and red pepper pie?

Give the pie a Spanish twist by frying some diced chorizo with the chicken and use oregano instead of tarragon. You could also add a teaspoon of hot smoked paprika and choose a dry Spanish white wine. 

Can I make chicken and red pepper pie with leftover chicken?

Yes! If you have leftover cooked chicken, simply chop into bite size pieces and add to the pan with the crème fraîche. You can bulk the pie out with more veggies if you like. Mushrooms, leeks and peas are all tasty options. 

Not only is a rolling pin crucial for flattening out your pastry into a nice thin layer. It can also help you transfer the pastry from your work surface onto your pie dish, without it breaking! This one from Joseph Joseph is one of best kitchen gadgets under £50

Joseph Joseph Adjustable Rolling Pin - View at Amazon 

Joseph Joseph Adjustable Rolling Pin - <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0091QO3RK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?tag=georiot-trd-21&ie=UTF8&ascsubtag=hawk-custom-tracking-21&geniuslink=true&th=1" data-link-merchant="amazon.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View at Amazon 

Once you’ve rolled the pastry to the desired thickness. Rub a little flour onto the rolling pin and then starting at one end of your pastry, carefully roll it up and over the rolling pin. You can then unravel the pastry over your pie dish and secure it in place. 

Apply the same pastry technique to our chicken and leek pie if you like. You might also like our chicken casserole pot pie or this hearty turkey and mushroom pie

Jessica Ransom
Senior Food Writer

Jessica is a freelance food writer, stylist and recipe tester. She previously worked as Senior Food Writer at Future. While at Future Jessica wrote food and drink-related news stories and features, curated product pages, reviewed equipment, and developed recipes that she then styled on food shoots. She is an enthusiastic, self-taught cook who adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines, and spirits.