Creamy Chicken Pie

Ingredients for  4  Servings

• 1 tbsp

  Sunflower oil
• 3

  Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (around 500g), cut into roughly 2cm chunks
• 1

  Onion, finely chopped
• 300g

  Chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
• 4 tsp

  Plain flour
• 1 tsp

  Garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp

  Dried tarragon or parsley
• 400ml

  Chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube
• 4 tbsp

  Reduced fat crème fraîche
• 2

  Sheets filo pastry (around 85g)
• -

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Approximate Times

• Preparation :

  Less than 30 minutes
• Cooking :

  10 to 30 minutes

Method

1. Place a baking tray in the oven. Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7.
2. Brush a large, deep non-stick frying pan with a little of the oil and place over a high heat. Add the chicken pieces, season with freshly ground black pepper and stir-fry for 3 minutes over a high heat, or until lightly coloured on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
3. Return the pan to the heat, brush with a little more oil (make sure to use a heatproof silicone pastry brush). Fry the onion and mushrooms over a high heat for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
4. Sprinkle over the flour, garlic and tarragon or parsley and stir well. Gradually add the stock, just a little at a time, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened.
5. Stir in the crème fraîche and return the chicken to the pan. Adjust the seasoning to taste and spoon into a warmed 1 litre pie dish (see Notes).
6. Cut each pastry sheet into three wide strips and brush lightly with the remaining sunflower oil. Scrunch each sheet loosely and place layered on top of the pie filling. Bake on the baking tray in the centre of the oven for 10–12 minutes, or until the pastry is golden-brown and the filling is bubbling. Serve.