Description
Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Hand Pies are a delightful and savory snack or meal option featuring tender shredded chicken mixed with creamy cheese and spicy Buffalo sauce, all enclosed in a flaky pie crust. Perfect for game day, parties, or a flavorful snack, these hand pies are baked to golden perfection with a crispy crust and gooey filling.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup Buffalo sauce
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
Crust
- 2 pie crusts
Optional
- 1 egg (lightly beaten, for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F to ensure it is hot enough for baking the hand pies to a golden brown crisp.
- Prepare filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the cream cheese and cooked shredded chicken. Stir continuously until the cream cheese melts completely and blends well with the chicken.
- Add Buffalo sauce and cheese: Pour in the Buffalo sauce and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese. Cook for another minute or two, stirring until the cheese melts and the mixture is uniformly blended.
- Cut pie crusts: Using a large circular cookie cutter, cut out 15 circles from the pie crusts. You may need to re-roll the dough after cutting the first batch to get all 15 circles. For larger hand pies, adjust cutting accordingly as noted in recipe tips.
- Assemble hand pies: Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the pie crust circles. Place the filling in the center for smaller pies or to one side for larger pies, leaving approximately a 1/4-inch border around the edges.
- Seal edges: Moisten the edges of the pie crust with water. Fold the crust over the filling and seal by pinching the edges together tightly or pressing with the tines of a fork.
- Vent and egg wash: Cut a few small slits on the top of each hand pie to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush the tops with lightly beaten egg if using, to achieve a shiny golden finish.
- Bake: Place the hand pies on a baking sheet and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the crusts turn golden brown and crisp.
- Cool and serve: Let the hand pies cool for a few minutes after baking to allow filling to set slightly. Then enjoy warm for the best flavor and texture experience.
Notes
- Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Hand Pies are versatile and can be served as appetizers, snacks, or a main course.
- For larger hand pies, cut fewer but larger crust circles and increase filling accordingly.
- Allow pies to cool slightly before eating to avoid burns from hot filling.
- You can substitute cream cheese with a lower-fat version or use a different cheese like Monterey Jack for variation.
- Use homemade or store-bought pie crust based on convenience and preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 hand pie
- Calories: 198 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 448 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 46 mg
