Crossword Genius

Suggesting a chicken pasty (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ashen

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'pasty' is the definition.
(both can mean pale)

'suggesting a chicken' is the wordplay.
'suggesting' becomes 'as' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'a chicken' becomes 'hen' (hen is a kind of chicken).
'as'+'hen'='ASHEN'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ashen that I've seen before include "Pale (faced)" , "Grey in colour" , "Shane (anag.)" , "Grey, pallid" , "White-faced" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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