Chicken and leek pies are very popular, but leeks can be pricy even when in season. We saved by using onion instead along with wonderfully aromatic dried thyme leaves (Herbies brand for us). And of course we added in some green veggies.

Once you have cooked the ingredients for a few minutes you just spoon the filling into the pots, cover and cook and before you know it, delicious chicken pies for dinner. For an even 'herbier version, use fresh thyme, some parsley and of course a clove or two of crushed or chopped garlic. We served it with sliced carrots and a corn cob.

Makes 4 pot pies.

400g skinless chicken thighs, trimmed chopped into 2–3cm pieces
1 tablespoon plain flour
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2teaspoon dried thyme
200g mushrooms, sliced into similar sized pieces as the chicken
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup frozen peas
50g baby spinach leaves
1 sheet reduced fat puff pastry, cut into 4 squares
Milk, to brush pastry
About 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Place four 1-cup capacity ramekins on a baking tray.

Dust the chicken with the flour and black pepper (it is easiest shaking them together in a plastic bag). Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook chicken, onion and thyme for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally on a medium–low heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 3–4 minutes until they are softening. Stir in the stock and mustard and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for a minute, then stir through the peas and spinach leaves. Remove from the heat.

Spoon the chicken into the ramekins until almost, but not quite, full. Brush around the rim of the pots with water and top each with a pastry square, pressing gently around the rim. Brush the pastry with a little milk and score 2 slashes into pastry with a sharp knife. For a nice finishing touch, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is golden.