Chicken, wild mushroom & asparagus one-pan pie

This decadent twist on a classic combination proves you can get beautiful results with shop-bought puff pastry. Dried mushrooms pack a lot of flavour, but if you haven’t got any in the back of your cupboard, this can just as easily be made with fresh ones, such as chestnut mushrooms. If you have any truffles or a truffle-infused oil to use in the filling, this pie would welcome it with open arms.

SERVES 5 PREP 30 mins plus optional soaking and resting COOK 35 mins MORE EFFORT

30g dried wild mushrooms or

100g fresh mushrooms 200ml chicken stock

50g butter

2 shallots, inely sliced

3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 2 bay leaves

1 tbsp plain lour, plus extra

for dusting

100ml dry sherry or white wine 200ml crème fraîche 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs,

cut into large chunks bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed, stalks cut into 4cm pieces

pack of tarragon, leaves roughly

chopped, plus a sprig to decorate 1 block all-butter pu pastry (375g) 1 egg, beaten, to glaze

1 If using dried mushrooms, heat the stock, soak them in it for 10 mins, then remove them, strain the liquid and set it aside. If using fresh mushrooms, clean them thoroughly and set a couple of the nicest-looking aside to decorate the top of the pie. Halve the rest.

2 Heat half the butter in an oven-friendly pan, and fry the mushrooms for 3-4 mins or until wilted. Scoop them onto a plate and set aside. Heat the remaining butter and gently cook the shallots in the pan with the thyme and bay. Once softened, stir in the flour and cook for 1 min or until you have a paste.

3 Pour in the sherry and sizzle, then carefully stir in the strained soaking liquid (or plain chicken stock if using fresh mushrooms), followed by the crème fraîche. Season well and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken and poach for 10 mins or until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove the bay, stir through the asparagus, tarragon and fried mushrooms, then remove from the heat.

4 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 8. The pastry must sit directly on top of the ingredients, so if your pan is too deep, use a pie dish instead. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then cut the pastry to fit the pan or dish and drape it over the pie mixture using a rolling pin to help you. Liberally brush with the egg, season the pastry with flaky sea salt, if you have it, and pop the reserved mushrooms on top. Bake for 20 mins or until the pastry has pu ed and is deep golden. Leave to rest for 5 mins before serving.

PER SERVING 705 kcals • fat 50g • saturates 27g • carbs 30g • sugars 4g • ibre 5g • protein 25g • salt 1.2g