CREAMY CHICKEN & MUSHROOM POT PIES

I am very excited to announce a delicious new series starting on the blog today! If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook then you probably would have seen the teaser I posted last week. In the series I will be sharing a collection of recipes highlighting the versatility and blendability of one of my favourite fresh ingredients, the marvelous mushroom. 

I am never without a pack of mushrooms in my fridge, I use them in so many of our family meals.I thought I would start the series with my version of a classic recipe, and one of my all time favourite dishes. These chicken and mushroom pot pies scream comfort food and are perfect to enjoy as we head through the last stretch of winter. As an added bonus everyone gets their own pie so you do not have to share the deliciousness!

Including mushrooms in your favourite chicken and meat dishes is not only a great way to boost the flavour, but by going halfsies it makes the meal more affordable and healthy. In this recipe I have combined chicken and mushrooms in a herby, creamy sauce that I am sure you will love - winter fare at its best! 

Don't forget to check out the hashtag #JoinTheBlendTrend on Twitter and keep an eye out for the next recipe coming soon.

_________________________

 

CREAMY CHICKEN & MUSHROOM POT PIES

Makes 4 individual pies

250g chicken fillets
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp finely chopped thyme
1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
20g / 25ml butter
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 leek, thinly sliced
250g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
30ml sherry (optional)
200ml chicken stock
salt
pepper
100ml cream
1 x 400g roll puff pastry
1 egg

Step 1.) Cut the chicken fillets into chunks. Place in a bowl with the flour, thyme and rosemary and toss the chicken to coat in the dry ingredients. Set aside.

Step 2.) Place the butter, garlic and sliced leek in a deep saucepan and sauté over a medium heat until the leeks have softened. Add the chicken and flour mix and cook for a few minutes until the chicken starts to brown.

Step 3.) Add the mushrooms and sherry and cook for a further 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Pour in the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 4.) Stir in the cream and leave to simmer for a further 5-7 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Check the seasoning and remove from the heat.

Step 5.) Preheat your oven to 200°C. Lightly grease the rims of four 200ml ramekins. Unroll the puff pastry and use one of the ramekins as a guide to cut out 4 pastry circles that are slightly bigger than the ramekins. Gather up the remaining scraps of pastry, roll out and cut into 2cm strips.

Step 6.) Divide the chicken and mushroom mixture between the ramekins. Brush the rim of each ramekin with a little water and place a strip of pastry on top. Then place a pastry circle on top of each and use a fork to lightly seal the edges. Beat the egg with a fork and brush over the tops of the pies.

Step 7.) Place the ramekins on a tray and bake for 30 minutes until the pastry has risen and is golden. Serve with green beans or a roasted vegetable salad.  

Make ahead tip: save time by making the pie filling in advance. Simply store in the fridge until you are ready to bake the pies.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by MushroomsSA. The recipe, images and words are my own and were created for the #JoinTheBlendTrend campaign.