Chicken pancakes

Ingredients

60g butter
50g flour
650ml milk
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
2 free-range chicken breasts, poached and shredded
1/2 cup peas, cooked
8 x thin crepes (you can find these in the frozen section of most supermarkets)
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced. Set aside a 20cm x 20cm baking dish.

To make the béchamel, melt butter in a heavy-based saucepan until bubbling, add the flour and stir for a minute or 2 until you have a nice golden paste. Then add the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly until you have added all of the milk and have a nice smooth sauce.

Add the bay leaves, nutmeg and seasoning and keep whisking for another few minutes and then set aside to cool a little. Place cling film or baking paper over the surface of the sauce so it does not form a skin.

Mix half of the sauce through the shredded chicken and add the peas.

To assemble, spread half of the remaining béchamel on the base of the baking dish. Then lay one crepe flat on a work surface, place a couple of spoonfuls of the chicken mixture in the middle of the crepe and then fold into a fat cigar. Place this in the baking dish and repeat with remaining crepes.

Finish by spooning over the remaining béchamel sauce, sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Notes:

You can make your own crepes at home with this easy recipe.
These pancakes are great comfort food and even your kids will be in love with them when you are finished.
This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.