Cheddar Cheese Shortcrust Pastry Chicken & Mushroom Pies

Total comfort food! This has to be by far the best chicken & mushroom pie I have ever made or tasted! I saw the recipe on the Great British Chefs website and had to try Cit...and share it!

Instead of making one big dish I divided mine into small ramekin dishes which works beautifully and looks so much better I think. This works well with Quorn Chicken pieces Vegetarians!!

The pastry could also be substituted by Puff pastry if you prefer but the cheesy shortcrust pastry worked so well!

Cheddar cheese pastry

• 120g of plain flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 30g of butter, chilled
• 30g of lard
• 60g of Cheddar cheese, finely grated
• 1 egg, beaten

Chicken and mushroom pie filling

• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 150g of button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 50g of butter
• 2 tbsp of plain flour, plus more for dusting
• 300ml of milk
• 200ml of chicken stock
• white pepper to season, freshly ground
• salt to season
• 2 tbsp of chopped chives
• 2 tbsp of chopped parsley
• 1 egg, beaten

 

For the cheddar pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Dice the butter and lard, then rub into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs

 

Mix in the grated cheese, then add just enough of the beaten egg to bring the mixture together as a firm dough. Knead lightly and wrap the dough in cling film. Chill until required

 

When ready to complete the chicken and mushroom pie, preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6

 

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and fry until the chicken begins to turn white. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry until the chicken is golden-brown. Remove the chicken and mushrooms from the pan and set aside

 

Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and fry for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside with the chicken and mushrooms

 

Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly until it has formed a thick smooth paste

 

In a bowl, mix the stock, milk, white pepper and salt together. Pour the liquid slowly into the flour mixture, whisking constantly until smooth. Transfer to a pan and simmer over a gentle heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened

 

Stir in the parsley and chives and pour the sauce over the chicken and mushroom mixture. Mix well, then spoon into a pie dish and leave until completely cool

 

Roll out the cheddar cheese pastry dough on a lightly floured surface until it is the thickness of a pound coin (around 3mm). Brush the edges of the pie dish with beaten egg, lay the pastry on top, press down the edges and trim. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg

 

Make two or three slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape, then bake the pie in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown on top

 

I served the chicken pies with roasted carrots, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes and onions....

 

 

 

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