The ultimate chicken pie
This high-fibre hearty chicken pie is a great rainy-day recipe and the ideal comfort food
INGREDIENTS
■ 2 tablespoons olive oil ■ 500g chicken breast fillets, diced into 3cm pieces
■ 5 middle bacon rashers, trimmed, thinly sliced
■ 300g button mushrooms, sliced
■ 1/2 cup plain flour ■ 600ml thickened cream ■ 1 cup fresh herbs, chopped (such as parsley, basil and chives)
■ 2 teaspoons ground cumin ■ 1 bunch English spinach, trimmed, washed and chopped
■ 6 sheets puff pastry, partially thawed
■ 4 medium potatoes, unpeeled, boiled, thinly sliced
■ 1 1/2 cups grated Colby cheese
■ 1 egg, lightly beaten ■ 2 teaspoons milk
METHOD Step 1
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Place two baking trays in oven. Grease eight, 7.5cm-round (base) pie tins.
Step 2
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, bacon and mushroom. Cook, stirring, for five minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add flour. Cook, stirring, until a paste forms.
Gradually stir in cream until a smooth sauce forms. Stir in herbs and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Step 3
Place spinach in a microwavesafe bowl. Cover. Microwave on high for three to four minutes or until wilted. Drain.
Step 4
Cut four pastry sheets in half diagonally. Line base and sides of each tin with pastry. Trim edges. Divide the potato evenly over pastry bases. Top with chicken mixture, spinach and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Brush edge of pastry with combined egg and milk.
Step 5
Cut each remaining sheet of pastry into four squares. Place one pastry square over one pie. Trim edge. Press edge together to secure. Repeat with remaining pastry and pies. Brush tops of pies with egg mixture. Using a small knife, make a small slit in the top of each pie to allow steam to escape during cooking. Place pies on hot baking trays in oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffed. Stand for five minutes, then serve.
—courtesy of taste.com.au