Chicken and Mushroom Pie

Chicken and mushroom pie is a true classic! Buttery mushrooms, fresh thyme, spring and dry onions and creamy chicken all snuggled under a buttery puff pastry lid and baked to golden perfection.

Get out your favourite pie dish, warm up the oven and get ready to make a quick, easy chicken mushroom pie that won’t take up your day. What makes it quick is the puff pastry as a crust rather than the traditional shortcrust.

If you have pie leftovers, it can easily be frozen for another day… but that’s only if there is any left!

INGREDIENTS Filling:

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 4 skinless boneless chicken thighs cut in cubes

• 2 cups chopped white mushrooms

• 2 cups chopped dry onions

• 1/2 cup chopped spring onions

• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• fresh ground black pepper

• handful of thyme sprigs

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• 400ml chicken stock

• 200ml milk

• 2 eggs

CRUST

• 2 1⁄2 cups all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup butter

• 1 cup yogurt

• flour, for coating the dough and board for rolling

GLAZE

• 1 egg

• 1 tbs milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

for the filling:

• Heat the butter in a large, non-stick frying pan

• Season the chicken thighs and fry for 5-8 mins until golden brown, turning occasionally

• Lift the chicken onto a plate and tip the onion, mushrooms and thyme sprigs, then fry on a high heat for another 3 mins until the onions start to colour

• Tip the flour into the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 min

• With the pan off the heat, gradually stir or whisk the chicken stock, followed by the milk, then add the chicken back to the pan

• Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins

• Leave to cool

INSTRUCTIONS:

for the Pie Crust:

• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl

• Cut in the butter just enough to achieve a crumbly mix

• Stir in the yogurt to form a soft dough

• Generously dust the dough with flour and form into a ball

• Refrigerate for at least 30 mins

Assemble the Pie:

• Pre heat oven to 180C

• On a heavily floured surface, roll out 2/3 of the dough to fit a pie plate

• Trim the edges

• Fill with the mushroom mix

• Roll out the remaining dough about 1/4 inch thick (Thicker than normal pie crust) and cut into strips 1 inch wide

• Weave the strips into a lattice over the filling

• Fold the ends of the lattice strips under the bottom crust, pinch the edges together, and flute

• For the glaze, beat the egg and milk

• With a pastry brush, thoroughly coat the pie crust

• Bake the pie for 25-35 minutes, until the crust is puffy and golden

Notes: 
1. It is better to serve the pie immediately or within hours after baking. I would not bake them very much in advance.
2. The leftovers will keep refrigerated for a couple of days. They will still taste good, but the puff pastry will go rather soggy.