Chicken & Leek Pies
I love this chicken & leek pie recipe which I got from one of Bill Granger's book and have made it quite a few times. It's one of those recipe that extremely easy to make and you can't go wrong with. The filling is creamy and hearty, while the cayenne pepper gives it a slight kick.
Leeks all sliced up
Diced chicken seasoned and browned
The pie filling simmering away
Filling up the pie tins
Cooking away in the oven
Perfectly browned crust
Perfect comfort food on a cold winter day
Recipe
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
500g chichen breast or thigh fillet, diced
25g butter
2 leeks (white part only), sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1/3 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup cream
1 cup fresh peas, boiled for 5 mins (I leave this out coz Merrill doesn't like peas)
1 tbsp chopped tarragon (dried is also fine)
1/4 cup chopped parsley (again I leave this out coz I'm not a fan)
Ready made puff pastry (enough for 4 pies)
1 egg yolk (for glazing)
1. Place flour, peppers and salt in a bowl and stir. Add chicken and toss well. Alternatively you can put everything in a plastic bag and shake well to mix for less mess. Shake off any excess flour.
2. Heat some olive oil and the butter in a pan over high heat. Add chicken and stir fry till lightly browned and sealed but not cooked all the way through. Remove chicken.
3. Place leeks and garlic in the pan and cook over medium heat for 5 mins, or until soft and wilted. Add wine and boil for 1 min.
4. Add stock and cream and simmer gently for a further 5 mins.
5. Add chicken, peas and tarragon and cook for a min longer. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in parsley.
6. Pre-heat over to 180C. Cut pastry to lines bases, sides and tops of 4 pie tins.
7. Spoon fillings into pastry cases and brush edges with egg yolk. Place tops on pies and seal with a fork.
8. Brush tops with egg yolk and make 3 piercings with a knife or fork in the top of each pie.
9. Bake on the bottom oven shelf for 35 mins or until golden brown.
Serves 4.
Leeks all sliced up
Diced chicken seasoned and browned
The pie filling simmering away
Filling up the pie tins
Cooking away in the oven
Perfectly browned crust
Perfect comfort food on a cold winter day
Recipe
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
500g chichen breast or thigh fillet, diced
25g butter
2 leeks (white part only), sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1/3 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup cream
1 cup fresh peas, boiled for 5 mins (I leave this out coz Merrill doesn't like peas)
1 tbsp chopped tarragon (dried is also fine)
1/4 cup chopped parsley (again I leave this out coz I'm not a fan)
Ready made puff pastry (enough for 4 pies)
1 egg yolk (for glazing)
1. Place flour, peppers and salt in a bowl and stir. Add chicken and toss well. Alternatively you can put everything in a plastic bag and shake well to mix for less mess. Shake off any excess flour.
2. Heat some olive oil and the butter in a pan over high heat. Add chicken and stir fry till lightly browned and sealed but not cooked all the way through. Remove chicken.
3. Place leeks and garlic in the pan and cook over medium heat for 5 mins, or until soft and wilted. Add wine and boil for 1 min.
4. Add stock and cream and simmer gently for a further 5 mins.
5. Add chicken, peas and tarragon and cook for a min longer. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in parsley.
6. Pre-heat over to 180C. Cut pastry to lines bases, sides and tops of 4 pie tins.
7. Spoon fillings into pastry cases and brush edges with egg yolk. Place tops on pies and seal with a fork.
8. Brush tops with egg yolk and make 3 piercings with a knife or fork in the top of each pie.
9. Bake on the bottom oven shelf for 35 mins or until golden brown.
Serves 4.