Creamy Chicken Pot Pie
A comforting and hearty dish combining tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and a rich, creamy sauce under a flaky puff pastry crust.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 rolls 320g (11oz) rolls of ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg slightly whisked with a fork for egg wash
For the filling
- 3 pieces chicken breasts (cut into small chunks) about 600g
- 3 pieces carrots (peeled and chopped into chunks)
- 3 pieces medium-sized potatoes (peeled and chopped into small chunks)
- 0.5 tsp salt good pinch to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper good pinch to taste
- 2 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme for flavor
- 600 ml chicken stock (water plus 3 stock cubes is fine)
- 50 g butter
- 1 large onion (peeled and finely chopped)
- 6 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour for roux
- 300 ml milk (half or full-fat)
- 1 unit lemon (juice of 1) add half for filling and taste, add more if needed
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F (fan).
- Line a 10 x 8 inch pie dish with one roll of puff pastry. Prick the base several times with a fork and trim any overhanging pastry.
- Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans (or dried beans), then place it in the oven to 'blind bake' for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove and set aside.
Cooking
- In a large saucepan, combine the chicken, carrots, potatoes, salt, pepper, thyme, and stock. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 15 minutes before turning off the heat.
- In another saucepan, melt the butter and add the chopped onion. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until soft.
- Add flour to the onions and butter, whisking it to create a roux. Cook this for a minute while stirring.
- Gradually add a ladle of stock from the chicken broth to the roux, whisking as you go. Repeat until most of the stock is used, leaving the chicken and veggies behind.
- Pour in the milk and heat the mixture until it thickens, being sure it doesn’t boil.
- Mix in the chicken and veggies. Add half the lemon juice, stir, and taste. Add more lemon juice and seasoning as needed.
Assembly
- Remove the baking beans and parchment from the pie crust. Fill the pie with the chicken mixture.
- Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash, then cover with the second roll of pastry. Seal the edges, brush the top with egg wash, and poke a few small holes in the top with a knife.
Baking
- Place the pie back in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve immediately with some green vegetables.
Notes
If you have leftovers, let the pie cool completely and cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 180C/350F until heated through. Use fresh ingredients and customize the filling with your favorite vegetables.