by Chloe Thompson
Nothing says fall quite like a beautifully golden chicken pie, and this is one I do on an almost weekly basis, since the weather has cooled down.
This recipe was originally made by my mum in Scotland and is great for using simple and cost-effective ingredients that we often already have in the pantry. Over the years I’ve made slight tweaks to it, but it’s a versatile dish that can easily be adapted to suit your personal taste.
With it almost hitting the one-year mark since seeing my mum – or as I like to call her, “my Joany” or “Joany-bug” – compared to my multiple weekly visits and sleepovers before moving to Stevens County, I thought this would be a great way to celebrate her amazing cooking and warm, generous spirit. I’m so looking forward to seeing her again soon. I miss her like crazy! So, in the meantime I’ll just be trying to recreate her famous family recipes as best I can…
This recipe is super easy, warming, filling and comes together oh so quickly. When in season, I love to add mushrooms to the filling to add even more flavor, and make it go just a little further.
As with any recipe, all the ingredients are adaptable; if you prefer a more protein-heavy meal, add in additional chicken or meat alternatives, and adjust the sauce where needed. If you don’t have any fresh herbs to hand, dried ones are a perfect alternative – just be sure to initially use around half of the amount as they can be quite punchy!
Serve alongside buttery mashed potato and honey glazed carrots for the perfect fall dinner. Leftovers not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Tbsp oil
Tbsp butter
1 large chicken breast, diced
2 rashers of smoked bacon, diced
1 medium leek
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 can of cream of chicken soup
300ml whole milk
Chicken bouillon (optional)
½ tsp chopped fresh rosemary
½ tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1 sheet of puff pastry
Method
In a large pan, gently fry your chopped bacon in a teaspoon of oil until the fat has rendered and the bacon has nice color. Remove once cooked to your liking and repeat the process with your chopped chicken breast. Be sure not to remove the excess bacon fat as this adds great flavour to the dish. Add more oil or butter to chicken as needed.
Once your chicken has cooked, remove this and set to the side whilst preparing the vegetables.
Fry off your chopped leeks in butter for 3-4 minutes before adding in your chopped garlic and continue to cook until fragrant. Be careful not to have your heat too high – you don’t want to add any color to your vegetables, just soften them.
Once your vegetables have softened nicely, add the cooked chicken and bacon back into the pan, along with the cream of chicken soup, whole milk, chopped thyme and rosemary and one bay leaf.
Allow this mixture to come to a gentle simmer whilst stirring periodically. I prefer to let this cook for around 20 minutes or so. If your sauce appears too thick, add in a little more milk until you’re happy with the consistency.
Check for seasonings, I like to use a small amount of chicken bouillon powder in place of salt, as well as fresh cracked pepper.
Once you’re happy with the consistency and flavor, remove from the heat and allow to cool in an ovenproof pie dish whilst preparing your puff pastry. Remember to remove your bay leaf before baking.
Preheat oven to 350o F.
To a lightly floured surface, roll out one sheet of thawed puff pastry to around ½ inch thick. Try not to handle it too much or let it get too warm as this can affect how it rises.
Gently place the pastry over your cooled pie filling and press down the edges to seal. Use a sharp knife to cut a hole in the centre of the pie. This allows steam to escape and encourages a more even crust.
Beat 1 egg and brush over the pastry before baking in the oven for around 35 – 40 minutes, or until your pastry has risen and is beautifully golden.
Chloe Thompson Slater, now living in Chewelah, graduated with an honors degree in journalism from the University of the West of Scotland and has worked on “some amazing projects,” including filming local counts at the Scottish independence referendum and general election. She specializes in marketing and PR services, and enjoys cooking, socializing, writing and pretty much anything to do with the outdoors.