Chicken and mushroom pie is a dish suitable for both a hectic Tuesday evening and a Sunday lunch. This recipe is included in the list of family dinners for weekdays because it is hearty, uses common ingredients, and allows you to prepare dinner with minimal effort if you have leftover roasted chicken in the fridge.
Using ready-made puff pastry significantly simplifies the cooking process. Instead of spending time making dough from scratch, you can focus on preparing a rich filling of chicken and mushrooms, which is then topped with a creamy béchamel sauce and crispy golden layers.
This recipe is designed for one large pie, which is perfect for a Sunday lunch, a quick weekday dinner, or for meal prepping for the next day.
To make this, you will need 1 roll of puff pastry, 1 beaten egg, sesame seeds (optional), and poppy seeds (optional).
You need to take 4 chicken fillets, cut into cubes, season them with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Then, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes covered, stirring occasionally.
After that, add the mushrooms, oregano, basil, and grated nutmeg. Stir everything thoroughly and cook for another 10 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and excess liquid has evaporated. Then, remove the mixture from the heat.
To make the béchamel sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, and sauté the mixture for about a minute while stirring constantly. Then, gradually pour in milk or cream until a smooth consistency is achieved. Continue cooking until thickened, then stir in grated Parmesan cheese and season lightly with salt.
Gently mix the white sauce into the prepared chicken and mushroom mixture until all ingredients are evenly coated. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Transfer the filling to a pie dish or baking pan. Top with the puff pastry, trimming any excess dough around the edges. Brush the surface with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds, if available.
Bake the pie for 35–40 minutes, or until the pastry is crispy, puffed, and deep golden brown. Let the pie rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
It is entirely possible to use leftover chicken. Leftovers of roasted or stewed chicken work well for this recipe and help save cooking time. You simply need to mince or cut the cooked chicken into cubes and add it after the mushrooms have softened. Since the chicken is already cooked, it only needs to be heated through before mixing with the white sauce. This is an easy way to turn leftovers into a completely new dish while reducing food waste.
To prevent the filling from making the pastry soggy, it is important that it is dense; therefore, any excess moisture from the mushrooms must evaporate completely before adding the white sauce. It is also recommended to let the filling cool slightly before topping it with puff pastry, which helps keep the pastry light and flaky. Brushing the pastry with beaten egg ensures a rich golden crust, and sesame or poppy seeds add extra texture.
If individual portions are preferred, the filling can be divided among ramekins and topped with a square of puff pastry before baking. Furthermore, this chicken pie can be frozen. It is important to allow it to cool completely before freezing, and then reheat it in the oven until fully cooked.
This recipe offers a simple way to delight your taste buds with a butter chicken style chicken pie.
The following components are needed for preparation: 500 grams of diced chicken fillet, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of ginger, 2 teaspoons of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala, 1/2 packet of Shan Butter Chicken masala, 1 teaspoon of tandoori masala, 1 teaspoon of chicken spice, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of double cream yogurt, 1 teaspoon of chicken spice, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, and 2-3 teaspoons of tomato paste.
First, marinate the chicken using the spices listed above. Then, melt butter in a saucepan, add the marinated chicken, and cook over low heat. It is important that the filling remains slightly juicy. After this, add 250 ml of fresh cream. Continue cooking the chicken for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy. After cooling, add finely chopped cilantro to the filling, and then place this mixture into the pastry.
