Chicken, leek & mushroom pot pie
Chicken pie is so warming and comforting. If I want to get one on the table quickly, I use pre-cooked chicken thighs or a rotisserie chicken, as they’re cooked to perfection and seasoned well. I also cook the leek and mushrooms in the microwave – who’d have thought mushrooms could taste so good after a few minutes in the microwave? If you love making pastry, be my guest, but I use shop-bought puff pastry. Serves 4-6
1 large leek, sliced
200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tbsp butter
4 thyme sprigs
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
250ml double cream
½ chicken stock cube
500g pre-cooked skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts, roughly chopped
375g all-butter puff pastry
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Put the leeks, mushrooms and garlic in a large heatproof bowl, season with sea salt and pepper, and dot over the butter. Cover tightly and cook in the microwave for 4 mins, stirring halfway through.
2 Add the thyme, mustard and cream. Put the stock cube in a heatproof jug and pour over 60ml boiling water. Once the stock cube has dissolved, stir the stock into the mushroom and leek mix. Add the chicken, then scrape into a 20 x 28cm pie dish.
3 Roll out the puff pastry until it’s just larger than the pie dish. Cover with the puff pastry lid, pushing it up to the edges of the pot. Trim off any overhanging pastry, cut a couple of steam holes into the top, and brush with the beaten egg yolk. Will keep in the fridge for two days, or frozen for up to two months. Defrost completely before cooking. Bake for 30 mins, or until the pastry is golden and puffed up.
The shortcut
A roast chicken pie without roasting a chicken, perfectly tender leeks and mushrooms with no frying pan, and a rich, creamy sauce without the whisking. A weekend project turns into a wonderful weeknight dinner here.