Ingredients
0.5 butter
for buttering dish
1 tbsp butter
for leeks
2 frozen shortcrust pastry
thawed
2 carrots
peeled, chopped into cubes same size as chicken
1 brushed potato
washed, chopped into cubes same size as chicken
1 cup green beans
tails removed, chopped into thirds
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
500g chicken breast
sliced into 2cm cubes
1 clove garlic
finely sliced
1 leek
(white part) finely sliced
1 celery
finely chopped
1 tbsp plain flour
1 cup reduced-salt chicken stock
5 tbsp pure cream
pepper
to taste
½ cup milk
for brushing
Allergy Advice
Contains Dairy
Contains Gluten
Equipment
- 1 medium pie or lasagne dish
- 1 baking paper
- 1 pie weights (or dried beans/rice)
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 large frying pan
- 1 whisk
- 1 fork
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C. Butter a medium pie or lasagne dish. Place one sheet of pastry into the dish, cutting off the excess. Line with baking paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans or rice then bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking paper and weights and then bake a further 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Bring a medium saucepan filled with water and half teaspoon salt to the boil. Add potatoes and carrots together and cook for about 15 minutes or until they start to become tender.
- Place the green beans into the saucepan and drain all the veggies after about 3 minutes. Rinse under cold water until they are no longer hot.
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil and fry chicken pieces on a medium to high heat until browned and partially cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Lower heat to low to medium, and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Add garlic, leeks, and celery to the pan and sauté for about 3 minutes until softened – be careful not to brown the garlic.
- Stir in flour and then whisk in stock and cream. Allow to simmer for about 8 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly.
- Add pepper to taste and return chicken to the same pan stirring everything together.
- Place vegetables and chicken mixture into the pastry-lined dish and cover with the second pastry sheet, removing the excess. Press the edges down around the pie with a fork and make a slit in the center to release steam.
- Brush with milk and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Allow to rest for at least ten minutes before serving.
Notes
Tip
You can substitute onions for leeks, but they have a much stronger flavour.
Variation
For a flakier pie, use shortcrust pastry on the bottom and puff pastry on top. Then brush with one egg white instead of milk.
Variation
If you are not a big pastry fan, leave the pastry bottom out and just top with a pastry sheet. This produces a faster pie too!
Variation
Make little individual pies (or 'pot-pies') and freeze them before cooking. You can then take them out and bake them for a quick snack or meal.
Storage
Unbaked individual pies can be frozen. Bake from frozen when ready to eat.
