Lip-Lickin’ Herby Chicken Pie Recipe
Lip-Lickin’ Herby Chicken Pie Recipe https://rgfresh.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Herby-Chicken-Pie.jpg 1024 569 R&G Fresh https://rgfresh.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Herby-Chicken-Pie.jpgPreparation Time
Roughly 2-2.5 hours (including 1hour 30mins in the oven)
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 1tbsp chives (chopped)
- 1tbsp thyme leaves (fresh)
- 1 sprig separated sage leaves (fresh)
- Roughly 130g diced unsalted butter (including up to 10g for greasing)
- 240g-250g plain flour (including some for dusting)
- 4tbsp milk of your choice (use unsweetened if non-dairy)
- 1 egg, beaten (for glazing)
For the filling:
- Small bunch parsley (finely chopped. Try using our curly parsley for added flavour!)
- ½ bunch tarragon leaves (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (we prefer olive or rapeseed)
- Spring onions (sliced)
- 200g peas (ideally frozen)
- 250g spinach (ideally frozen)
- 400g-500g shredded chicken or six roasted chicken thighs
- ½ tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 200ml crème fraiche (full or half fat, to your preference)
- 350ml chicken stock (hot)
How to make
1) Start with the pastry. Place 225g of the flour into a good-size mixing bowl and work in the butter with your hands until the mixture has the consistency of breadcrumbs. Then add the thyme, chives and milk and mix with a large metal spoon or blunt knife, adding a splash of water if the now-doughy concoction feels a little dry and brittle.
2) Sprinkle flour over a flat surface and place the dough on it for kneading. Once kneaded, form it into a circle and wrap in clingfilm, then put it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
3) Now for the filling. Preheat the oven to 180C or 160C for fan ovens (gas mark 4). Add the cooking oil to a deep pan or casserole dish and place on the stove on medium heat. First, fry the spring onions for 3 minutes, then add the frozen spinach for a further 2 minutes, stirring the whole time.
4) Next, add the chicken. (If you’re using thighs, you’ll need to remove the meat from the bone first, discarding the skin and clean carcass). Pour in the stock and dollop in the wholegrain mustard, then cook on the stove for around 10 minutes. Take off the heat, add the crème fraiche, tarragon and parsley, and stir, then leave to settle.
5) Your filling is now ready to go in the pastry! For this stage, first, grease and then flour the pie plate or cake tin you want to cook your pie in. Then take around half the chilled pastry and roll it out to fit the plate or tin. Line the plate/tin with the pastry to create the base for your pie, and scoop in the herbily fragrant filling!
6) Take the remaining pastry and after rolling it out to a size that will cover the pie, carefully press the sage leaves into it. Lay your newly-herbed pie lid over the filled pie plate/tin and firmly join the edges of the pastry lid and sides. Remove any excess pastry and, if you like, arrange it decoratively on the top of the lid. (We like to cut it into little herby leaf shapes, but that’s just us!).
7) Cut a small slit in the middle of the pie and glaze with the brushed-on egg, and bake in the middle of the oven for around 90 minutes until your pie is a deliciously light golden-brown. Then serve with seasonal greens and enjoy!
Tip: We love to serve this recipe with Clean Eating’s deliciously rich White Wine Herb Sauce, which incorporates herbs like flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, chives and chervil. Check that out here.
