Here is the latest of our tasty, healthy recipes from Simon Smith, the head chef at Tameside hospital. Today he has whipped up some beautiful Chicken Filo Parcels with leek and herbs.

Chicken Filo Parcels

INGREDIENTS Serves 4

• 4 Chicken breast fillets (diced)
• 1 Leek (sliced)
• 2 Onions (diced)
• 2 large knobs of Butter
• 1 tsp English Mustard
• 1 tbsp Cornflour
• 100ml full fat Milk or Cream
• 250ml Chicken stock
• Washed spinach (optional)
• Chives and Thyme (optional)
• 1pkt Ready made filo pastry sheets
• Egg wash

METHOD

1. Peel and chop leek into thin slices
2. Dice the chicken and set aside in a bowl.
3. Melt the butter in the pan and add the chicken – fry gently to allow meat to seal
4. After 4-6 mins add the prepared vegetables (leeks, onions) to the chicken and stir. Gently
   cook together.
5. After another 6 mins check the leeks and the onions have gone soft, and also that the chicken is fully cooked.
   Add the chicken stock and allow to simmer gently.
6. Then mix cornflour with a little water and pour into the pan with the milk or cream.
7. Add the mustard and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. At this point you can add a handful of Spinach. 
8. Now you have a choice of ways to use the Filo pastry. My picture shows Filo parcels but you can also make a pie and simply add the mixture to a pie dish and crumple the filo on top.
9. If you’re making parcels it’s best to let the mixture cool for a few hours (or even prep the day before. Then take three sheets of the pastry, add the mixture to the middle and bring the corners together – egg washing as you go.
10. Place the parcels (or pie) in preheated oven at 180C/Gas 5 for about 20 mins.
11. Serve with vegetables.

This dish is light, full of flavour, and nutritionally balanced, providing low levels of fats, and carbohydrates with medium levels of protein, fibre and minerals to provide us with our balanced plate.
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Bon Appetit!