Chicken and Mushroom Pie

Serves 6

Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, halved

200g rindless bacon, sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, halved

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 celery, diced 

1 medium leek, diced

2 fresh bay leaves

200ml red wine

200ml port

1 bunch thyme, leaves picked

600ml chicken stock

100g butter

400g mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 bunch parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp cornflour + 2 tbsp water to form slurry

1½ cup peas 

Salt & pepper

3 sheets butter puff pastry

1 egg, beaten lightly

Method

Preheat the oven to 225°C, fan-forced. 

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to a hot pan over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for a few minutes, add bacon and stir through. 

Add garlic, carrot, celery and leek to a hot, dry frypan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 

Add mushrooms and butter to the chicken and cook for a few minutes. Divide chicken stock and parsley between the pans. Add the port to the chicken and red wine to the vegetables. Stir to lift any caramelised bits from the pan. Pour everything from the vegetable pan into the chicken pan, simmer for 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. 

 Add cornflour slurry to the chicken mixture, stir while it thickens. Remove from heat and stir through the peas. Pour into a deep pie dish. 

Cut puff pastry into 4cm thick strips. Layer the strips around the outside of the pie, overlapping the strips until all of the filling is covered. Brush pastry with egg wash. Bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.