{the best, easiest, chicken pie ever}

Melbourne's weather took a nasty turn yesterday and dragged us all kicking and screaming back into the heart of winter.  Lucky me I was working from home so had some time to whip up one of my favourite winter comfort foods.  

I've been making this chicken pie for years, from a mini Woman's Weekly recipe book called Winter Weeknights.  I've adapted it over the years, adding some ingredients and simplifying the already simple recipe, to come up with a simply delicious dose of winter comfort food.

Easy Peasy Chicken Pie

1 tablespoon olive oil

500g chicken thigh fillets, diced roughly in to 2cm pieces

4 short bacon rashers, diced roughly

1 leek, thinly sliced {or a brown onion finely chopped} 

10 - 12 button mushrooms, finely sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine

20 g butter

1 tablespoon plain flour

250ml thin cream

2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry

1 egg, beaten lightly

• Preheat the oven to 200c {or 180c fan-forced} and grease your pie dish.
• Heat the oil in a fry pan on high and add the chicken.  Cook for a few minutes and then add the bacon, leek and mushrooms.  Continue cooking, stirring the mixture until the chicken is cooked through, the mushrooms and leeks are softened and the mixture is reduced.
• Add wine and cook, stirring until liquid is reduced by half.

• Add flour to the pan and mix thoroughly.  Any excess liquid should be absorbed at this point.
• Add the butter and stir through.
• Reduce heat to medium and add the cream, stirring until the mixture is a nice thick consistency.
• Place 1 sheet of pastry into the base of your pie dish and use a knife to cut around the edge of the dish to remove any overhanging pastry {hang on to your pastry scraps to decorate your pie top}
• Spoon the mixture into the pie dish and top with the remaining sheet of pastry. Again, cut off the overhanging pastry.
• Press the edges of the pie together with your finger and use the leftover pastry offcuts to make a pretty decoration for your pie top.
• Poke 3 or 4 small slits in the pastry to let out steam.
• Brush with the beaten egg
• Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes

Serve with steamed vegies or a salad.

Voila! Easy Peasy Chicken Pie.

 Today's looking like another cold, wintery day.  Another perfect day for deliciously warm comfort food.