There are numerous variations of the chicken pie recipe. Some varieties may be made with a two-crust pastry or puff pastry whilst others may contain their delights underneath a single upper pastry crust. For those in need of a calorie-fuelled treat, there’s the chicken pie made with serious amounts of double cream, whilst for those who don’t want to miss out on their favourite dish but prefer a less indulgent meal, a chicken pie made with the stock from the boiled chicken may just do the trick.
You can make a chicken pie starting off with a whole chicken or just as easily from the remaining chicken meat left over from a roast chicken dinner made previously.
A traditional chicken pie will contain plenty of fabulous fresh vegetables including carrots, peas, leeks or onions. Nowadays, you can add almost anything to your chicken pie, for example mushrooms, potatoes, sweet corn, parsnips or ham.
Below are two recipes for chicken pie. The first is a recipe for a traditional chicken pie made with cream, vegetables, wine and sherry covered with a rich shortcrust pastry.
The second recipe is a healthier version, made only with chicken stock and covered with a pastry crust made from shortcrust pastry. Both, however, are equally delicious.
Spring chicken pie
With a crunchy filo top
1 hour 35 minutes
Not too tricky
Nutrition per serving
- 2 lemons
- 500 g Jersey Royals
- ½ a bunch of fresh tarragon , (15g)
- 1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley , (30g)
- 8 free-range chicken thighs , bone in, skin on, from sustainable sources
- 6 cloves of garlic
- olive oil
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 400 ml organic chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 75 g watercress
- 5 sheets of filo pastry
Jamie Magazine
By Elspeth Meston
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.
- Halve the lemons, quarter the Jersey Royals, then pick and finely chop the tarragon and parsley.
- Put the chicken, unpeeled garlic cloves, lemon and potatoes in a large baking tray, drizzle with oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, then toss together.
- Pop in the oven for 45 minutes, or until golden, crispy and cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Melt the butter in a large non-stick pan until bubbling. Add the flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to form a paste, then slowly pour in the stock, whisking until thickened. Add the mustard, then season.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and reserve the skin and discard any gristle. Shred the meat, discarding the bones.
- Squeeze the garlic from its skins back into the roasting tray and squeeze over all the juice from the lemons and toss well.
- Pour over the thickened stock and add the herbs and watercress. Check the seasoning, then finely chop the chicken skins and sprinkle over the filling.
- Lay out sheets of filo on a clean surface and cut each one in half. Lightly scrunch up and place on top of the pie filling, brushing with a little oil.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until crispy and golden, then serve with a crisp green salad.
Proper chicken pie
With pancetta, leeks & mushrooms
Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast
By Jamie Oliver
- Use a large sharp knife to carefully cut down the back bone of the chicken, cutting it in half. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil into a large non-stick frying pan on a high heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear for 10 minutes, or until golden. Reserve the pan for the cabbage.
- Meanwhile, chop the pancetta into 1cm chunks, pick in the thyme leaves and place in a large shallow casserole pan with 1 teaspoon of oil. Put it on a medium heat so the fat renders out, while you wash and trim the white part of the leek (save the green for making soup) and the celery. Peel the onion and carrot, then roughly chop all the veg into 1.5cm chunks and add to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, or until softened.
- Stir in 2 heaped tablespoons of flour, cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the cider. Let it bubble away for 2 minutes or until almost evaporated, then stir in the mustard and stock. Add the chicken breast-side down, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on a low heat for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Meanwhile, for the pastry, put the flour in a bowl with a good pinch of salt. Grate in the cold butter, then rub with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs. Pour in 100ml of cold water, mix with a fork, then bring together with your hands until it forms a dough, adding an extra splash of water if needed. Divide into 2 pieces – you will need ⅓ for the lid and ⅔ for the base – flatten with your hands and chill until needed.
- Finely slice the mushrooms and set aside.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred the meat (discard the carcass).
- Strain the chicken mixture through a sieve over a clean pan to catch the liquid, gently pressing to help it along, and reserve for your gravy. Leave to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
- Lightly grease a 30cm pie dish with oil. Roll out the larger piece of pastry between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper to just a few millimetres thick and use it to line the dish – allow an overhang. Press firmly into the edges and up the sides of the dish.
- Fill with the cooled chicken mixture, then carefully roll out and top with the remaining piece of pastry. Beat the egg and brush a little over the edge of the lid then fold over the overhang and press down gently to seal. Egg wash the pie all over, then make a small incision in the centre to let the steam escape and bake at the bottom of the oven for 1 hour, or until the pastry is golden and the pie is piping hot.
- Click off and discard any tatty outer leaves from the cabbage, then cut in half. Halve the core, then finely slice. Roughly chop the rest into large chunks. Place the chicken pan on a high heat, add the cabbage stalks and fry for 2 minutes, then go in with the leaves and a splash of water and cook for 5 minutes more, or until softened and lightly charred. Stir in the mustard, then add a pinch of salt and white pepper with a splash of water, and simmer for 1 minute, tossing a few times.
- Reheat the gravy and enjoy with the pie and cabbage. Delicious served with creamy mash.
Tips
For an extra-golden pie crust, egg wash for a second time halfway through cooking and rotate the pie.
This mouthwatering chicken pie recipe is packed with tender chicken pieces, handfuls of veg and a crispy pastry top.
This scrumptious chicken (opens in new tab) pie has been created by cook and author Sophie Conran. Packed with mushrooms and gravy already, Sophie’s chicken pie can be easily adapted to include more veg for the kids. Add sweetcorn, peas or carrots — or whatever you fancy. It’s a tasty way to hit 5-a-day (opens in new tab)!
Wrapped in a delicious, crisp puff pastry, which (whisper it) can be shop bought to save on time, it makes a lovely family meal. Just serve with a warming salad (opens in new tab) or green veg (opens in new tab) on the side.
Ingredients
- 1 1.6kg (3½lb) whole chicken
- 1 onion, halved
- 1 large carrot, peeled
- 1 stick of celery, sliced
- Few sprigs of parsley
- 25g (1oz) of butter
- 3tbsp plain flour
- 250g (8oz) baby button mushrooms, halved
- 3tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 (300g) pack ready-made puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Lift the chicken from the pan, cool slightly, then use a knife and fork to remove all the meat from the bones and skin. Reserve the meat and discard the bones and skin. Drain the stock and discard the vegetables.
- Preheat the oven to 220ºC (fan 200ºC / gas mark 7). Gently melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and let it bubble for a couple minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, whisking all the time with a balloon whisk until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat, stir in the mushrooms and leave to gently simmer for 4 mins. Season to taste. Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks and stir into the sauce with the parsley.
- Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Place a 1.4ltr/2½pt oval pie dish in the centre of the pastry, roughly cut around it. Now, cut strips of pastry from the pastry remaining around the edges of the dish. Brush the rim of the pie dish and attach the pastry strips to it. Spoon the chicken filling into the dish. Brush the pastry edges with water then lay the pastry on top.
- Trim the edges, then pinch them together to seal. Use any scraps of pastry to make decorations for the top, attaching them with water. Brush the top of the chicken pie all over with beaten egg. Make a steam hole in the centre of the pie. Place on a baking tray and bake for 25 mins or until the pastry is golden brown.
- Serve your hot chicken pie with creamed potatoes and buttered carrots.
Top tips for making chicken pie
Forgot to buy a pack of ready-made puff pastry for your chicken pie? Make your own with our easy puff pastry recipe (opens in new tab).
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Jessica Dady is Senior Content Editor at Goodto.com and has over 10 years of experience as a digital journalist, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the best food hampers to cookbooks, from the best cake stands to baking sets, Jessica has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to must-have food products. A passionate baker, she spends much of her time creating celebration cakes for friends and family — particularly for her two lucky children.
Chicken and mushroom pie is one of Britain’s favourite dishes — and this version is even more indulgent.
Our chicken and mushroom pie has a decadent twist – whereas other pie recipes include milk, we combine double cream with white wine to add a delicious richness to the filling. We top this tasty pie with flaky pastry – shop-bought works fine but you can make your own puff pastry (opens in new tab) if you’d like.
Serve with creamy mashed potato or new potatoes and plenty of freshly cooked green veg, such as spinach, peas or broccoli.
- 55g (2oz) butter
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 300g (10½ oz) mushrooms, halved
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 2tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 40g (1½ oz) plain flour
- 150ml (5fl oz) dry white wine
- 300ml (10fl oz) chicken stock
- 4 ready-roasted chicken breasts, cubed
- 142ml pot double cream
- 250g packet ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
- Sprigs of thyme, to garnish
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5 mins. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 mins. Add the garlic and thyme and fry for 3 mins. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for a further 5 mins.
- Add the white wine and the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer until thickened.
- Stir in the chicken, simmer for 5 mins, add the cream and season.
- Spoon into four ovenproof dishes and top with circles of pastry. Trim the edges and brush with the beaten egg. Top each with a sprig of thyme. Bake for 15 mins until risen.
- Serve your chicken and mushroom pies, still warm from the open, with a big spoon on creamy mash and minted peas.
Top tips for making chicken and mushroom pie
To reduce the fat content, use a cream substitute such as Elmlea instead of double cream in this chicken and mushroom pie.
This chicken and mushroom pie is best eaten on the day it’s cooked but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
How do I thicken my chicken and mushroom pie filling?
If your pie filling is too runny, you could add a spoonful more of flour. Stir until combined and add until happy. You can also use cornstarch as a thicknener. Mix 2tbsp of cornstarch with around 60ml of water. Whisk and add gradually to the pie mixture to thicken.
Can you use puff pastry for the base of a pie?
If you want to make this pie even more indulgent you could use puff pastry as a base for the pie. It’s a great way of using up any leftover pastry you might have from the top of the pie. But just keep in mind that it won’t rise and have its classic puffy texture once cooked as the pie filling will weigh it down.
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