Chicken Pie - creamy centre in a buttery flaky crust

Chicken pie is comfort food indeed! I like a pie that has a creamy centre and a crispy crust. This recipe has a buttery flaky crust - perhaps a little too rich - as the filling is creamy. Puff pastry appears to be a better combination and I used some of the chicken filling to make chicken puff using store-bought puff pastry.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/mHFTZZSE9u0?si=HMVK50STPbrLLrgl

Ingredients (for 18cm round pie)

For the filling

• 1 chicken breast

• 3 tablespoons bacon cubes

• 1/2 cup condensed cream of chicken soup

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 1 clove garlic  (smashed)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the pastry

• 250 gm flour

• 100 gm butter (chopped into small pieces)

• 1/2 egg + 1 tablespoon cold water

• egg wash (for glazing)

Method

1. Prepare the filling:

• Boil some water (enough to cover the chicken breast) in a pot.

• Slide chicken breast into the boiling water and continue boiling for 5 minutes.

• Turn off the heat and cover the pan to continue poaching the chicken for another 10 mins. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 160°C.

• Remove the chicken from the pot and when cooled, shred the chicken. Cut them into 3 cm long strands. Set aside.

• Put 1/2 cup of condensed cream of chicken soup into a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of milk and stir well to combine.

• Add 1 tablespoon of oil into a saucepan and add garlic to fry till fragrant.

• Add 3 tablespoons of bacon cubes and continue frying.

• Add the soup & milk mixture into the saucepan and stir well.

• Stir is 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper.

• Simmer the sauce for 5 mins. Cover the saucepan and set aside to cool.

2. Prepare the crust pastry:

• Add 250 gm of flour and 100 gm of chopped butter in a mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

• Mix 1 tbsp of cold water with the beaten beaten egg and add to the flour mixture. Stir around with a spatula until clumps form.

•  Divide the batter into 2 portions and wrap up tightly with cling film. Place in the fridge to chill for 30 mins.

• Roll out each portion to a circle, large enough to fit a 18 cm baking tin (including the sides)

• Chill the circles of pastry in the fridge for 15 mins.

3. Assemble the pie:

• Place one portion of pastry into the baking tin and press the pastry up the sides of the pan. Poke the base with a fork.

• Spread the chicken shreds into the tin and pour the sauce over the chicken.

• Cove the pie with the 2nd portion of pastry and press the edges together and a fork. Cut a cross slit in the middle of the pie lid.

• Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg (egg wash.

• Bake in a pre-heated 180 C oven for 40 mins, until the crust is golden brown.