Chicken, Mushroom & Tarragon Pie
This comforting creamy chicken pie is full of flavour and will have your guests wanting more.
Serves 4-6
Prep time: 15 minutes (plus cooling time)
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
For the filling
50g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 bay leaf
50g plain flour
200ml chicken stock
150ml white wine
150ml double cream
4 sprigs of fresh tarragon, leaves only, chopped
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
375g ready-rolled short crust pastry
375g ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
1 egg beaten
To serve:
New potatoes
Green beans
Preparation method
1. To make the filling, melt the butter in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes, stir often until lightly browned.
2. Season the chicken with pepper and add to the pan with the bay leaf. Cook everything for 5 minutes, turning the chicken often.
3. Stir the flour into the chicken mixture and cook for a few seconds. Gradually add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick. Pour in the wine and cream, then bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season generously then sprinkle with tarragon. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and set aside to allow to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas mark 5.
5. Roll out the short crust pastry to about 4mm and line a 1.2 litre pie dish. Leave the excess pastry overhanging the edge. Spoon the cooled chicken filling into the dish and brush the pastry edge with a little of the beaten egg.
6. Roll out the puff pastry to 4mm thick and large enough to cover the pie. Place the pastry over the pie and press the edges firmly together to seal and trim neatly. Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg. Decorate with pastry trimmings and brush with more egg to glaze. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crust is puffed up and golden brown and the filling is piping hot. Serve with new potatoes and green beans.
