Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Pie
Chicken, mushrooms and leeks are a heavenly combo. Now that the winter chill has hit, the family will appreciate your efforts making this luscious pie. If you have leftover chicken from a recent roast or pot-au-feu, be thrifty and use it instead of buying fresh chicken breasts.
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
I’ve added some dry white wine, grain mustard and tarragon to the basic mixture to enhance the flavours, and some baby spinach leaves which turns it into a one-pot meal.
If you have leftover chicken from a recent roast or pot-au-feu, be thrifty and use it instead of buying fresh chicken breasts.
Ingredients
Serves 6
- chicken breast fillets 700g, cut int 2.5cm pieces, fat and sinew removed
- olive oil 2 tablespoons
- butter 30g
- leeks, white part only 2, finely sliced
- button or Swiss brown mushrooms 250g, sliced
- garlic 3 cloves, crushed
- white wine 80ml (1/3 cup)
- plain flour 3 tablespoons
- grain mustard 2 tablespoons
- sour cream 100ml
- dried tarragon 1 1/2 teaspoons
- chicken stock 375ml ( 1 1/2 cups)
- baby spinach leaves 120g, stems removed
- coarse sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Filo Pastry Top
- filo pastry 16 – 18 sheets
- butter 100g, melted
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces and fry until cooked through and golden, 5 -6 minutes. Do this in batches so that the chicken doesn’t stew. Remove chicken from the pan, transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the butter to the pan along with the leeks, mushrooms and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, then add the wine. Bring to the boil and let simmer 2 -3 minutes until leek and mushrooms have softened. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, stirring continuously (this is important to cook out any floury taste). Add the grain mustard, sour cream and tarragon. Stir well to combine and pour in the chicken stock. Bring to simmering point then add the reserved chicken pieces and stir well. Simmer gently for 15 – 20 minutes.
Remove pan from the heat and fold through the baby spinach leaves. Spoon mixture into a 2 litre pie dish.
Preheat oven to 180degC (160degC fan-forced).
For the filo pastry rosettes: place a sheet of filo on a clean teatowel on the benchtop with the long side facing you. Brush with melted butter. Roughly roll the filo to form a long “snake”. Now roll it it up to form a coil (or rose) shape. Place the filo coil on top of the pie and repeat until the pie filling is covered – you’ll need 16-18 “roses”.
Place the pie on a baking tray, brush with any extra remaining butter and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
Leave to settle for 5 – 10 minutes before taking to the table.