Chicken And Vegetables Pot Pie From The Tummies' Kitchen

It is hard to imagine not putting a big smile on anyone's face by saying the words homemade chicken pies, well.... that is unless you are someone who;

a) have a hatred for chicken

b) despise the word pie

c) never get too excited about anything let alone a pie

d) all the above

I am sorry if you happened to tick one or all of the answers above because we are having chicken pies today. Yes! a very homey and comforting homemade chicken and vegetables pot pie that is!

This is just a rough guide on how to make your own chicken pie at home, so feel free to play around with the ingredients to suit your taste. Mushrooms, leek and jerusalem artichoke are in season now, why not try to incorporate any of them into your pie?

makes 2 individual pies
oven preheated at 240 C (conventional)
you'll need;
6 pieces (~600 g) of chicken thigh fillets, cut into small chunks
a knob of butter (~25 - 30 g)
a dash of olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
a few sprigs of thyme
a handful of picked tarragon
1 tbs of flour
4 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 cup of frozen peas
1/2 cup of white wine
3/4 cup of chicken stock
1/3 cup of sour cream
1 sheet of ready rolled puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
a simple dressed greens to serve
tomato chutney to serve

Brown chicken pieces in batches to a light golden colour, remove and set aside.

Heat the butter in the same pan and saute chopped onion and garlic until soften. Add flour and cook for a minute before adding the diced vegetables, stir and mix well.

Add wine and cook for a minute before adding the stock and sour cream and the herbs, cook for a few minutes more and check for seasonings. Turn off the heat, add the peas and mix well, allow the mixture to cool.

When the puff pastry is soft enough to work on, cut out the lids using the ramekin as a guide. 

Fill ramekins with the creamy chicken and vegetables mixture. 

Rub the edge of the ramekins with some of the egg wash and put the lids over. Use a folk to press down the edges and make a few holes for the steam to escape. Finally brush with the egg wash and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before baking. Bake pies in the hot oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Serve hot pie on its own or with a simple salad, here at the tummies' we always have a jar of tomato chutney on the side.