55 minutes
Delight in the comfort of homemade chicken pie, now with a healthy twist. This dish retains all the classic flavors you love, while including fresh garden vegetables and a light, crispy filo topping, making it a nourishing choice for any meal.
0.25 fluid ounces
0.25 fluid ounces
Garlic Clove, finely chopped
each
sprigs
Tarragon
sprigs
Carrots, cut into batons
0 oz
Chicken Breasts, skinless
0 oz
Leek, sliced
0 oz
Cornflour, mixed with water
tablespoons
Creme fraiche
tablespoons
Dijon Mustard, heaped
teaspoons
Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped, flat-leaf or curly
tablespoons
Filo Pastry
0 oz
tablespoons
1. Poaching the Chicken and Vegetables
Combine the chicken stock, white wine, chopped garlic, thyme, and tarragon sprig in a large, wide pan. Add the carrots and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Place the chicken breasts in the stock, season with pepper, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add leeks on top of the chicken, cover again, and let steam for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and let the chicken sit in the stock for 15 minutes to stay moist while cooling.
2. Building the Sauce
Pour the stock through a strainer into a jug, ensuring you have 500ml (top up with water if necessary). Place the chicken and vegetables in a 1.5-litre pie dish and discard the herb sprigs. Return the stock to the pan, add the cornflour mixture, and heat while stirring until the sauce boils and thickens. Take off the heat and mix in crème fraîche, mustard, chopped tarragon, and parsley. Season with pepper.
3. Assembling the Pie
Shred the chicken into chunky pieces and stir into the pie dish with the sauce. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the filo pastry into squares or rectangles. Layer them over the chicken mix, brushing each with oil. Scrunch the sheets for texture and tuck in the edges. Sprinkle with pepper.
4. Baking the Pie
Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden and the sauce bubbly. Serve hot.
Opt for organic vegetables and free-range chicken if available. Fresh produce will offer better flavor and texture.
Don't just season at the end. Season the chicken as it cooks, and taste your vegetable mixture before adding it to the pie. Each layer of flavor contributes to the final dish.
Allow the pie to rest for about 10 minutes after baking for the filling to set, making it easier to slice.
Ensure the flour is well-incorporated with the fat before adding liquids to prevent lumps and achieve a silky sauce.
Keep all ingredients cold and handle the dough as little as possible for homemade dough, and let store-bought dough come to room temperature before handling.
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