Creamy Chicken Mushroom Pie Food

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE WITH SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and fry until the chicken begins to turn white.
• Add the mushrooms and continue to fry until the chicken is golden-brown.
• Remove the chicken and mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and fry for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside with the chicken and mushrooms.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly until it has formed a thick smooth paste (this is called a roux).
• Mix the milk and stock together in a jug, then add the nutmeg, white pepper and salt, to taste. Pour the liquid slowly into the flour mixture, whisking all the time until smooth. Simmer over a gentle heat, stirring constantly, for about five minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
• Stir in the chopped parsley and pour the sauce over the chicken and mushroom mixture. Mix well, then spoon into a pie dish and leave until completely cool.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is the thickness of a pound coin. Brush the edges of the pie dish with beaten egg, lay the pastry on top, press down the edges and trim. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and cut some leaf shapes out of the left-over pastry to decorate the top of the pie.
• Make two or three slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape and then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden-brown on top.

CREAMY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIES

Steps:

• For the pies: Place a large sheet pan on a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing the mushrooms occasionally, until they soften and turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken, mustard and chives. Add the cream cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.
• Lightly flour a work surface and roll the pastry into an 11-inch square. Cut the pastry in half. Divide the chicken and mushroom mixture in half and place each half on one end of each rectangle of pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides.
• Brush the border with the egg and fold over the other half of the puff pastry. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges. Cut slits in the tops of the pies to vent. Brush the tops of the pies lightly with the egg. Transfer the pies to the hot baking sheet and bake until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for the salad: Whisk together the lemon juice, oil and mustard in a large bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fold in the thinly sliced onions and toss occasionally to soften, 5 to 10 minutes.
• When ready to serve, toss the lettuce and chives into the dressing.

CREAMY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add oil. Add chicken and cook and stir until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour and stir until chicken is coated in flour.
• Stir in mushrooms, ham, green onion, and garlic. Slowly add 1/4 cup milk while stirring. Cook until mixture is creamy, adding more milk if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 more minutes, then transfer to a medium casserole dish or divide into separate small ramekins.
• Wait until the mixture has cooled slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Put puff pastry over top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry has browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

CREAMY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM ONE-POT WITH POT PIE TOPPERS

Steps:

• Place the chicken breasts in a pot with 1 quartered onion and 1 bay leaf. Fill the pan with just enough water to come to the top of the chicken breasts. Bring the mixture to a low boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and poach the chicken 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and dice or shred with forks. Reserve the poaching liquid.
• In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, a couple of turns of the pan over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and lightly brown. When the mushrooms are just tender, add 2 chopped medium onions, potatoes, parsnips, celery, sage, salt, pepper and remaining bay leaf. Cover the pot and sweat the vegetables 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf. Melt the butter in the pot, add the flour and stir to make a light roux. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine and add one to 2 cups of reserved poaching liquid. Whisk in the mustard and 2 cups chicken stock. Stir in the cream. Thicken to a light gravy consistency. Adjust the salt and pepper and add in the chicken.
• Reduce the heat to low and bake off the pastry tops.
• For make-ahead meal: Bake off the pastry tops; cool the filling and store. Reheat the filling, covered, over medium heat to a bubble, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
• To prepare the pastry tops: Cut the pastry into shapes which reflect the shape and size of the dishes or bowls you wish to serve the soup in. Beat the egg with a splash of water and arrange the cut pastry on a nonstick baking sheet or on parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush the dough with the egg wash and bake to golden at 425 degrees F, 12 minutes.
• Cook's Note: Chicken and Mushroom filling can also be served as a thick soup with crusty, warm baguette for dipping.

CHICKEN, LEEK & MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a large pan with the bay, half the thyme sprigs, the parsley stalks, onions, garlic, stock and seasoning. Pour the milk over the chicken and, if you need to, top up with water to make sure the chicken is covered. Bring the chicken to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 15 mins. Lift from the liquid and leave to cool.
• Drain the poaching liquid through a sieve into a large jug - you need 650ml to make the sauce for your pie.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the leeks and the mushrooms, and cook for 5-10 mins until soft, then season well. Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Slowly add the poaching liquid, stirring until you have a thick sauce.
• Using two forks, pull the chicken apart into thumb-sized chunks rather than chopping it - I feel you get a far better pie this way. Chop the parsley leaves, then stir into the leeks with the thyme leaves, crème frâiche and chicken. Check the seasoning, then spoon the mixture into your pie dish (or dishes) to cool slightly.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll out the pastry on a lightly dusted work surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut thin strips from the edges and use a little water to stick these around the lip of the pie dish, then wet the top of the pastry strip. Lift the pastry on top of the pie, trim the edges and crimp them with your fingers or a fork. Brush the top with milk and cut a steam hole in the middle.
• Put the dish on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 20-25 mins until the pastry is risen and golden. Some of the filling will have bubbled up through the steam hole. Have a bottle of tomato ketchup on hand to serve, if you like - and be careful, the pie will be hot.

CHICKEN, LEEK & MUSHROOM PIES

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a shallow pan and gently cook the leeks with the thyme for 8 mins, or until soft. Add both types of mushrooms and cook for 5 mins more, then turn up the heat a little, add the chicken and stir until the chicken starts to brown. Scatter over the flour and stir to make a paste and continue to cook for 2 mins.
• Splash in the wine, if using, and sizzle for 1 min, stirring, then pour in the stock, cream and lemon juice, season and simmer for 10 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Leave to cool, then pop in the fridge to chill. Can be made up to two days ahead. Assemble the pies as directed in Tom's pie pastry recipe, decorating the tops with any trimmings, if you like.