Chicken Pie Recipe

A golden shortcrust and puff pastry case encloses tender pieces of chicken in a creamy bacon and white wine sauce.

We use a medium leek in this recipe.

Makes 3 single-serve pies.

We use a 20ml tablespoon and 250ml measuring cup for all of our recipes.

1 tablespoon (20ml) oil
400g skinless chicken breast or thigh fillets, chopped into bite-sized chunks
100g shortcut bacon, finely diced
90g (3/4 cup, lightly packed) finely chopped leek
1 medium clove garlic, peeled and crushed
20g (1 tablespoon) butter
1 tablespoon (12g) plain flour
1/3 cup (84ml) chicken stock
1/3 cup (84ml) white wine
1/3 cup (84ml) cream (35 to 40 percent fat)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
20g (1/3 cup, loosely packed) grated tasty cheddar cheese
1-2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
2-3 sheets shortcrust pastry, thawed (if preferred, puff pastry can be used instead of shortcrust)

Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan or frying pan over high heat. Add chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6-7 minutes, or until lightly browned. If necessary, cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add bacon, leek, and garlic to saucepan, and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, or until leek has softened and bacon is cooked. Set mixture aside with chicken. © exclusivelyfood.com.au

Over medium-low heat, add butter to saucepan and allow butter to melt. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute (mixture should bubble but not brown).

Add stock, wine, and cream, stirring continuously. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil, stirring continuously. Reduce heat to low and simmer for two minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and remove from heat.

Add chicken, bacon, leek, garlic, and cheese to saucepan. Stir to combine then set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius fan-forced). If you are not using a fan-forced oven, adjust the oven rack to the lowest position; the pastry base will brown and crisp better if it is close to the bottom element.

Grease three non-stick individual pie tins. We use pie tins that are about 3cm deep, about 7.5cm across the base, and about 12.5cm across the top (including the rim).

Invert pie tins on puff pastry and cut around the tins to form the lids of the pies. Set lids aside.

Invert pie tins on shortcrust (or puff) pastry and cut circles about 1.5cm from the edges of the tins.

Ease shortcrust pastry circles into pie tins, making sure there are no air bubbles under the pastry. Trim overhanging pastry with a sharp knife.

Divide chicken mixture evenly among pastry bases.

Brush edges of shortcrust and puff pastry with water and cover pies with puff pastry lids. Firmly press edges of pastry together with a fork.

Using a sharp knife, cut a small cross in the top of each pie.

Place pies on a baking tray (the tray makes it easy to remove pies from the oven and will catch any sauce that may overflow). Bake pies for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au