Roast Chicken, Smoked Ham Hock & Cider Pies
These roast chicken & smoked ham hock pies feature a rich cider & chicken sauce, tender chunks of meat & two types of pastry!
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You really can’t beat a good, homemade chicken pie and here, we’re taking ours to another level with smoked ham hocks, a punchy cider & chicken sauce and a pie crust that’s made with 2 types of pastry! They’re seriously tasty & I’d strongly recommend pairing them with a batch of our triple cooked chips & a generous amount of homemade gravy.
Lets talk about the filling first. For this, we’re basically making a béchamel sauce but instead of milk, we’re using apple cider & chicken stock instead. Then to finish the sauce, we’re adding in Dijon mustard, tarragon, parsley & chunks of smoked ham hocks & freshly roasted chicken. This stuff’s rich & absolutely jam packed full of flavour!
Onto the pie crust. Here, we’re using hot water crust for the base & sides of our pies and puff pastry for the top (like a chicken pot pie!). Making our pies like this means that we get a crisp yet sturdy base & a flaky top!
For more dinner inspiration check our our ever growing collection of main course recipes! There’s lots to choose from here, from homemade pies, slow cooked meat, barbecue, pasta dishes & lots more…
Ingredient Notes
- Smoked Ham Hocks – If you’d like to make your own smoked ham hocks, our recipe can be found here! Alternatively, you can buy cooked ham hock from the supermarket/butchers or you could use regular ham or pulled pork instead.
- Roast Chicken – You’ll need a whole chicken for this recipe, which we’re roasting ourselves.
- Cider – Pretty much any apple cider will work for the filling. I used Thatcher’s Gold.
- Pastry – We’re using 2 types of pastry for these pies. Hot water crust & puff pastry. We’re making the hot water crust ourselves but using ready made puff pastry.
- Fresh Herbs – For the pie filling, you’ll need fresh parsley & tarragon. You’ll need rosemary & thyme for roasting the chicken as well.
- Egg Wash – To give these pies a deep, golden colour once baked, we’re using an egg wash made with egg yolks, a splash of milk & a pinch of table salt.
Components Of These Pies
A good chicken pie doesn’t need to be complicated & made properly, they’re hard to beat! For our pies, we’re pairing a roast chicken, ham hock & cider sauce filling with two different types of pastry. They’re hearty, packed full of flavour & are surprisingly easy to make…
The Pie Filling
This chicken pie filling is made with roasted chicken, smoked ham hocks & a rich, cider and chicken stock based sauce. There’s a load of fresh tarragon & parsley in there as well, along with a generous spoonful (or two) of Dijon mustard!
The filling is super easy to make as well! We’re making the sauce like a bechamel but instead of milk, we’re using cider & chicken stock instead. Once cooked, we add in mustard & herbs then fold through smoked ham hock & chunks of freshly roasted chicken.
The Pastry
We’re using 2 types of pastry for these pies! We’re going with hot water crust pastry for the base, for it’s sturdiness & crisp finish. Then for the top, we’re using puff pastry for a chicken pot pie style finish!
Hot Water Crust Pastry
We’re making our own hot water crust pastry from scratch! Don’t worry if you’ve not made this before, it’s super easy.
This style of pastry is what is used to make pork pies & isn’t made like other pastries. It basically breaks all the rules of making pastry! Instead of cold fats, hot water crust pastry uses boiling hot water & melted butter and/or lard. This gives it a crisp, sturdy texture unlike shortcrust which is delicate & crumbly.
How To Make Hot Water Crust Pastry
- Add plain flour, salt & egg into a mixing bowl, mix to distribute the egg then set aside.
- Next, add water, butter & lard into a saucepan, set over a medium heat & bring to the boil, stirring to melt the fats.
- As soon as the liquid is boiling, pour it into the flour, stirring constantly as you do so.
- Keep stirring until a dough forms then cover the bowl & let the pastry sit for 20 minutes.
- Next, divide the dough into portions (whilst it’s a bit warm still!), roll out then use to line your pie dishes.
Puff Pastry
We’re topping our pies with puff pastry, for a chicken pot pie style finish! For convenience, I like to use sheets of ready made puff pastry but feel free to make your own. I used Jus Rol puff pastry.
How To Assemble Individual Chicken & Ham Hock Pies
This method also works when making larger pies! Make sure to grease your pie tins/dishes with butter before lining with pastry. I used a deep, 6 hole Yorkshire pudding tin for my pies…
- Divide the hot water crust pastry into equal portions then roll each into 4mm thick circles.
- Line the inside of each tin with a disc of pastry then fill each pie with a generous amount of filling. Make sure to leave a small amount of pastry overhanging the edge of each tin/muffin tin hole.
- Cut circles out of puff pastry that are large enough to completely cover the top of each pie. You can do this with a circular cutter or by cutting round a plate/bowl.
- Brush a small amount of cold water around the edge of each pie then top each with a disc of puff pastry, pressing down lightly on the edges to seal & to thin the pastries out slightly.
- Crimp around the edge of each pie with a fork then use a small knife to trim the pastry level with the edge of the tins/dishes.
- Cut a small steam hole in the top of each pie then chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Before baking, brush two light layers of egg wash over the pies, leaving 20 minutes between each layer. Return the pies to the fridge between each layer.
Tips & Tricks
- Grease Your Pie Dishes – Do this with butter, to stop the pies sticking & to make the pastry extra crisp.
- Chill before baking – Pie crusts that are baked straight from the fridge are crisper & flakier. I’d recommend chilling your assembled pies for at least an hour before baking.
- Egg Wash – Brushing the pastry with egg wash gives the pies a deep, golden finish once baked. I’d recommend applying 2 coats of egg wash, 20 minutes apart for the best finish.
- Preheat A Baking Tray – This is an easy way to ensure that the bottom of our pies will be cooked fully. Simply put a large baking tray in the oven at the same time as you preheat it then cook the pies on the hot tray!
- Leave To Sit – Letting your pies sit for 10-15 minutes once baked, makes it easier to remove them from the tin.
Frequently Asked Questions
In order to keep the pastry crisp, it’s best to reheat pies in the oven. To reheat our roast chicken pies, I’d recommend baking them at 180°c/356°f until the filling is piping hot (at least 75°c/167°f – you’ll need a food probe!). Cover the pies with foil if the pastry starts to brown too much.
These chicken & ham hock pies will keep for a couple of days once baked. Although they are best eaten whilst they’re still warm!
If you’d like to smoke your own ham hocks, check out our smoked ham hock recipe! Alternatively, cooked ham hocks can be purchased in some supermarkets/butchers or you can boil them instead of smoking. For this recipe, you’ll need 2 ham hocks worth of meat.
I wouldn’t recommend it! We’re using hot water crust pastry for the base, for it’s sturdiness & puff pastry for an extra flaky top (like a chicken pot pie!). Although you could just use hot water crust pastry if you’d prefer.
Absolutely! Simply replace the cider in the pie filling with extra chicken stock.
For these pies, you can use pretty much any apple cider for the filling. I used Thatchers Gold cider.
Cooking On An Aga
With all of my recipes, I include cooking instructions for conventional ovens, fan ovens & also Agas. Here’s how to cook this recipe in an Aga…
To roast the chicken, follow my aga roast chicken recipe! Use the simmering plate to make the filling then bake the pies in the roasting oven, on a baking tray placed on the floor.
Equipment Used
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More Dinner Recipes To Try!
- Black Garlic Hanger Steaks
- Beef Wellington
- Smoked Pulled Lamb Shawarma
- Crispy Chicken Cutlets With Parmesan Polenta & Salsa Verde
- Nduja Stuffed Porchetta
- Chicken Tikka Masala Pies
If you have enjoyed this recipe for chicken & ham hock pies, it would mean a lot if you could leave a review & rating. And if you’d like to stay up to date with future recipes, follow us on Instagram & TikTok!
Roast Chicken, Smoked Ham Hock & Cider Pies
Equipment
- Pie Dishes (See Notes)
- Digital Food Probe
- Saucepans
- Mixing Bowls
- Rolling Pin
- Large Circular Cutter
- Baking Tray
Ingredients
Roast Chicken
- 1.5 kg Whole Chicken (Untrussed)
- 1 Bulb Of Garlic
- 1 Lemon
- 10 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- 10 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Pie Filling
- 500 ml Cider (See Notes)
- 500 ml Chicken Stock
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 10 Black Peppercorns
- 100 g Butter
- 100 g Plain Flour
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 600 g Smoked Ham Hocks (See Notes)
- 2 tbsp Chopped Parsley
- 1 tbsp Chopped Tarragon
Hot Water Crust Pastry
- 750 g Plain Flour (Sifted)
- 1 tsp Table Salt
- 2 Large Eggs (Beaten)
- 125 g Unsalted Butter
- 125 g Lard
- 310 g Water
To Assemble
- 640 g Puff Pastry (See Notes)
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 2 tsp Whole Milk
- A Pinch Of Table Salt
Instructions
Roast Chicken
- Preheat an oven to 170°c/150°c fan (340°f/300°f).
- Whilst your oven is preheating, place your chicken onto a rack set inside a roasting tin then dry the skin with kitchen paper.
- Next, cut the bulb of garlic in half & the lemon into thick slices. Stuff into the chicken's cavity along with the fresh herbs.
- Drizzle the veg oil over the chicken then use your hands (or a pastry brush) to massage into the skin then season generously with sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper.
- Roast the chicken 45 minutes – 1 hour, until the internal temperature reaches 65°c/150°f then increase the oven temperature to 220°c/428°f & continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 73°c/163°f & the skin is crisp & golden.Take the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thighs & breasts.To be fully cooked, chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 75°c/165°f. The chicken's temperature will continue rising after it is removed from the oven which is why we take it out at 73°c.
- Once cooked, loosely cover the chicken with foil & leave to rest whilst you make the pie filling.
Pie Filling
- Add the cider, chicken stock, bay leaf & peppercorns into a saucepan then set over a low heat & leave to get steaming hot. But no boiling!
- Place the butter into a large saucepan, set over a medium heat then cook until melted.
- Stir the flour into the butter then cook out for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Next, pour in half of the warm stock then whisk until smooth. Cook out until thick, whisking/stirring regularly. This will take 2-3 minutes over a medium heat.Pour the stock into the butter through a sieve! The peppercorns & bay leaf can be discarded.
- Once thick, pour half of the remaining stock into the sauce then continue cooking until it has thickened up again, whisking regularly.
- Add in the remaining stock then reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring/whisking regularly until the sauce has thickened back up for a final time. This step will take around 5 minutes. The sauce should be the consistency of a thick bechamel/cheese sauce (think mac & cheese!).
- Take the sauce off the heat & stir in the Dijon mustard. Season lightly with salt & pepper then set to one side.Ham hocks tend to be fairly salty (if they've been cured!), so the sauce won't need too much seasoning.
- Next, carve the roast chicken then chop the meat into bitesize chunks, mix with any resting juices then add into the sauce along with the ham hock & chopped herbs.I like to use the skin in my pies as well but this is optional! The bones can be kept for homemade stock/gravy!
- Gently mix the meat & sauce together then give it a taste, to check the seasoning, adding more salt & pepper as needed.
- Transfer the pie filling to a shallow dish, leave to cool slightly then chill until completely cold. Cover the surface with a piece of clingfilm before refrigerating, to prevent a skin forming on top.The filling can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days before being used.
Hot Water Crust Pastry
- Place the flour & salt into a large mixing bowl then stir to combine. Add in the beaten eggs, then stir to distribute the egg through the flour. Set aside for now.
- Next, add the butter, lard & water into a large saucepan then set over a medium heat. Cook, stirring regularly until the fats have melted then bring to the boil.
- As soon as the water & fats are boiling, pour them into the flour, stirring constantly as you do.
- Keep stirring for a couple of minutes, until a smooth dough forms then cover the bowl & leave to rest for 20 minutes.
Assembly
- Grease your pie dishes with butter then set aside.
- Transfer the pastry to a lightly floured surface then divide into portions. If you're making individual pies you'll need 10 equally sized pieces. If you're making larger pies there will be enough pastry to line 2 nine inch pie dishes.You'll need 10 portions of pastry if you're using a deep muffin tin. If you're using a regular muffin tin, you'll need 12 pieces of pastry.
- Take a portion of pastry & roll out into a 4mm thick circle. Line a pie dish with the pastry then repeat with the remaining portions. Make sure to leave a cm or two of pastry overhanging each pie dish.
- Divide the chilled pie filling between each pie. The filling should sit slightly above the top of the tins/dishes.
- Next, cut circles out of the puff pastry that are large enough to completely cover the top of each pie. You can do this with a circular cutter or by cutting round a plate/bowl.If you're using a block of puff pastry, roll it out so that it's 3-4 mm thick.
- Brush a small amount of cold water around the edge of each pie then top each with the discs of puff pastry, pressing down lightly on the edges to seal & to thin the pastries out slightly.
- Crimp around the edge of each pie with a fork then use a small knife to trim the pastry level with the edge of the tins/dishes.See the post above for a visual guide to doing this!
- Cut a small steam hole in the top of each pie then chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Baking
- Preheat an oven to 200°c/180°c fan (392°f/356°f). Place a baking tray in the oven at the same time.
- In the meantime, make an egg wash by whisking the yolks, milk & salt together then brush a light layer over the top of each pie. Return them to the fridge, to chill whilst your oven heats up (for 20 minutes or so).
- Brush another light layer of egg wash onto each pie then top with a light sprinkle of sea salt.
- Place the pie tins onto the hot baking tray in the oven then bake the pies for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is a deep, golden brown and the filling is piping hot.A digital food probe inserted into the filling should read at least 75°c/167°f. If the pies start to brown too much, cover them loosely with foil.
- One baked, let the pies sit for 15 minutes then carefully lift them out of the tins. Serve immediately or leave to cool then store in the fridge.You might need to cook the pies in batches, depending on how many you've made!
I tried this roast chicken and smoked ham hock pie recipe last weekend, and wow – it’s become an instant favorite! The combination of smoky ham and the subtle sweetness from the cider was a revelation. The filling was so hearty and comforting; perfect for chilly days. The instructions were clear and easy to follow, even for someone like me who doesn’t usually make pies. This is definitely a recipe I’ll be keeping on rotation for family dinners!