Serves: 6

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (including cooking time)

This is a delicious and straight-forward recipe for a comforting pie that will be enjoyed by the whole family. The combination of chicken with tarragon gives it an extra depth of flavour.


Ingredients

For the filling

  • 600g boneless chicken thighs (or mix of breast and thighs)
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • 100ml white wine

For the white sauce

  • 50g butter
  • 50g plain flour
  • 250ml milk
  • 2 tbsp chopped tarragon

For the pastry topping

  • Block puff pastry

Method

1. Set the oven to 170°C/150°C fan.

2. Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish along with the chicken stock and wine. Season well.

3. Cook in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until done. Put to one side to cool.

4. Increase the oven temperature to 190°C/170°C fan.

5. Keep back 125ml of the chicken cooking juices. Discard the skin and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.

6. Make the sauce by melting the 50g of butter. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute.

7. Gradually stir in the chicken cooking juices and then the milk, cooking until thickened. Add a little more milk if too thick. Stir in the tarragon and season.

8. Mix the chicken into the sauce and pile into a 2-litre pie dish. Allow to cool completely.

9. Roll out the pastry to a 5mm thickness.

10. Wet the rim of the dish and lay the pastry over the filling. Trim to fit and crimp the edges.

11. Score a pattern over the pastry and brush with the beaten egg.

12. Bake for 30-40 minutes until heated through and the pastry is golden brown.


>> Download Chicken & Tarragon Pie Recipe