1Store-bought rotisserie chicken – all meat pulled off the carcass and roughly chopped
50gramssalted butterjust shy of 1/2 a stick
2cupsof sliced leeksapprox. 3 – 4 – white and pale green part
1bay leaf
100gramslean diced bacon
250gramsPortobello or button mushroomssliced
Leavesstripped from 3 – 4 thyme stalks
3Tbspflour
125ml½ cup dry white wine
250ml1 cup good quality chicken stockconcentrated
250ml1 cup cream
1 ½Tbsof finely chopped parsley
Salt & pepper
1x 250gm sheet of butter puff pastry plus extra to make decorationsoptional
Instructions
Shred all the meat off the chicken carcass removing all bones and gristle. You can include some of the crispy parts of the skin if you prefer. Preheat the oven to 180C /350F.
Heat a frying pan to medium and melt the butter. Add the leeks and bay leaf and sauté for about 3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the bacon and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until softened.
Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a minute. Or 2 and the mixture thickens. Add the wine and allow this to bubble until the liquid has cooked over stirring constantly. Then add the stock and cook over a gentle heat for another 2 – 3 minutes. Add the cream and cook for a minute or two. Add the parsley and check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Depending on how strong the stock is you may not need to add much salt as the bacon adds salt too.
Fold the shredded chicken through the mix and stir to thoroughly coat then remove from the heat. Decant the mixture into an appropriately sized pie dish and place the sheet of puff pastry over the pie. Add decorations as you like. It is not necessary to brush the all-butter puff pastry with an egg wash.
Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Notes
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Once your chicken pie has cooled completely, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, follow these simple steps:
Reheat in the Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Cover the pie loosely with foil to prevent the pastry from burning. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
Reheat in the Microwave: Place a portion of the pie on a microwave-safe plate. Heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through, though the pastry might lose its crispness.
For best results, reheating in the oven helps maintain the flaky texture of the puff pastry.