Chicken Pot Pie
My children’s favourite version of chicken pie is this one using potatoes, leeks and carrots. I make individual pies in small ramekin dishes and each pot pie has a lovely golden puff-pastry topping. The added bonus is that this recipe is really a meal in one, but if you have time, a big platter of steamed green vegetables, or peas, on the side would be delicious. I use ready-rolled puff pastry, making this recipe easy to pull together. The end result is impressive and makes a comforting meal for any evening or a wonderful dish, for a family gathering.
ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
4 carrots, trimmed, halved length-ways and diced (*do not cut into rounds, as this could be a choking hazard)
3 celery stalks, trimmed, peel off the stringy outer layer, and diced
1 small leek, trimmed, halved length-ways and diced
4 organic new potatoes ( skins on), halve and dice
350g organic chicken breast/ or thigh, (I use a mix) cut into small chunks
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, OR tarragon leaves
400ml homemade chicken stock, or no/low salt chicken stock
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
black pepper
1 roll (350g) of ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk (optional)
an oven proof dish(es)
pastry brush
pastry cutters for decorative pastry shapes (optional)
method
pie filling
Take a heavy bottomed casserole dish and add the olive oil, onion, carrot, celery and leeks. Gently saute for 15 minutes to soften the vegetables. Next add the chicken chunks and seal them for 5 minutes. Add the diced potato, garlic and fresh herb thyme (or tarragon, which works beautifully with chicken) and the crushed garlic. Stir everything to combine and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Finally add the chicken stock and bring everything up to a simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes. The stock should reduce and thicken.
Everything should now be cooked through and the sauce reduced. To further enrich and thicken the sauce: mash 1 tablespoon flour with 1 tablespoon butter, until combined. Then whisk into the dish. Cook and stir, to avoid any lumps of flour. Once everything is combined season to taste, with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove the filling from the heat and spoon into your pie dishes. Allow these mix to cool.
pastry
Take the ready rolled puff pastry and cut the tops for your dish(es), you want an extra 1-2cm around the edge (this will depend on the size of the dish) to make a border.
To help your pastry turn a golden brow, make an egg wash: in a small bowl combine 1 beaten egg with 1 tablespoon milk. Brush the sides of the pastry with the egg wash, to help it adhere to the dish and then cover the pies with their lids. Press the pastry firmly to the dish, all the way around to seal the pastry to the pie dish. With a knife create holes in the top, to let the air out as the pastry cooks. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash.
You can at this point use pastry scraps to make shapes and decorate the pies. Initials are lovely too, if you are making individual portions.
to cook
Place the pies in the oven at 180C fan oven for 20 minutes, the filling should be bubbling hot and the pastry will have turned golden and puffed up. Cool before serving and enjoy.