Chicken pot pie

Name: Chicken pot pie
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 225 g plain flour, for the pastry, plus extra for dusting; 0.5 tsp salt, for the pastry; 150 g unsalted butter, very cold, cubed, for the pastry; 4 tbsp iced water; 60 g butter, for the filling; 1 onion, chopped; 2 carrots, diced; 2 celery sticks, sliced; 2 clove garlic, finely chopped; 60 g plain flour, for the filling; 500 ml chicken stock; 250 ml whole milk; 700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 cm pieces; 4 sprig thyme, leaves picked; 150 g frozen peas; 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 0.5 tsp black pepper; salt, for the filling, to taste; 1 egg, beaten, for glazing

2 h 25
Prep 30 min
Cook 1 h
Serves 6
medium

Start cooking

Chicken thighs, carrots, celery and peas in a creamy thyme sauce, baked under a crisp, flaky all-butter pastry lid.

Method

1
For the pastry, rub the butter into the flour and salt with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces.
2
Sprinkle in the iced water and mix with a knife until it clumps, adding a teaspoon more water if it is still dry.
3
Press the dough into a flat disc, wrap it and chill.
4
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion, carrots and celery until softened.
5
Stir in the garlic and flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
6
Gradually whisk in the stock, then the milk, until smooth, and bring to a simmer.
7
Add the chicken and thyme and simmer gently, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick.
8
Stir in the peas, parsley and pepper, season with salt and spoon into the pie dish.
9
Leave the filling to cool so it does not melt the pastry, and heat the oven to 200°C.
10
Roll the pastry on a floured surface to about 4 mm thick and a little larger than the dish.
11
Lay it over the filling, trim the overhang and press the edge onto the rim, crimping with a fork or your fingers.
12
Brush with beaten egg and cut a few small slits in the centre for steam.
13
Bake on a tray until the pastry is deep golden and the filling bubbles at the slits.
14
Rest the pie before serving so the sauce settles.

Notes

Bought shortcrust or puff pastry works well. Use about 320 g and skip the first three steps.
Leftover roast chicken can replace the thighs. Stir it in with the peas instead of simmering it.
The filling can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge, which also saves the cooling time.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl, Cling film, Large saucepan, Whisk, 2 litre pie dish, Rolling pin, Pastry brush, Baking tray

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