Lunch/Dinner
The Quickest Chicken Pie EVER
Description
This must be the quickest pie recipe ever and it tastes like you've slaved over it. Using frozen or fresh meat (from a Sunday dinner or Christmas is ideal), you can just put handfuls in without chopping and browning. Tip - Barefaced Kitchen buys chicken portions or whole chickens on offer, roasts/poaches it and then shreds into freezer bags. Handfuls can be used to top soups, salads and added to sandwiches and it defrosts in seconds. A MUCH cheaper and healthier option than deli meats.
Recipe & Instructions
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp oil
- 1 large leeks sliced
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 200g mushrooms sliced
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 2-3 large handfuls of whatever frozen or fresh cooked meat you have (turkey and ham are great!)
- 2 tbsp reduced fat Creme Fraiche
- 300ml hot water and 1 tbsp bouillon powder or stock cube
- 1 roll of puff pastry (see recipe for healthier options)
- 1 egg or 1 tbsp milk to glaze the pastry
- Vegetables to serve
Serves 4
Pre heat oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 5 and grease a pie or casserole dish
Heat the oil in a large pan and add the leeks and fennel seeds. After 4-5 minutes, add the chopped mushrooms, the thyme and the frozen/fresh meat and stir.
Cook over a medium heat for 6-7 minutes until the meat has defrosted/heated through and the mushrooms softened. Stir in the flour and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
Gradually add the water and scatter over the chicken stock cube or bouillon powder. Stir until thickened and bubbling.
(You could now put this in a very low oven or slow cooker and go out on your merry way for 2-3 hours quite happily before coming home and topping it with the lid).
Stir in the creme fraiche and pour the contents into the pie dish and leave to cool a little (or you will melt your pastry).
Top the pie contents with the roll of puff pastry (go for the lighter one you can buy now, make your own reduced butter short crust or even use filo pastry for healthier options). Cut any excess pastry off and make some pretty design on top if you have the time or inclination.
Brush with milk or egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes until the pie is golden and crisp.
Serve with a large helping of steamed vegetables with sea salt.