Chicken, mushroom and bacon slab pie

Ingredients

• chicken stock 500ml
• chicken thigh fillets 750g
• olive oil
• chestnut mushrooms 400g, cut in quarters or eighths depending on size
• butter 25g
• streaky bacon 6 rashers, chopped
• leeks 2, sliced
• plain flour 2 tbsp
• double cream 3 tbsp
• Dijon mustard 1 tsp
• flat-leaf parsley a small bunch, chopped
• ready-made shortcrust pastry 1 kg, (use 2 x 500g blocks)
• egg beaten to glaze

Method

• Step 1

  Heat the chicken stock to a simmer in a pan. Add the thighs, then cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the thighs and cool. Strain the stock into a measuring jug until it reaches 400ml.

  Step 2

  Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan then add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender. A lot of liquid will come out during cooking but keep going and eventually it will evaporate and the mushrooms will become golden.

  Step 3

  Scoop out the mushrooms from the pan, wipe it out, then add the butter and fry the bacon for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Add the leeks and cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened. Sprinkle over the flour and stir into the mixture, then cook for 2-3 minutes. Gradually stir in the measured chicken stock then simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cream and mustard and take off the heat. Chop the chicken thighs into chunks then stir into the sauce with the parsley and mushrooms. Season well and leave to cool a little while you get the tray ready.

  Step 4

  Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Roll out 1/2 the pastry and use to line a 2.5cm-deep, 24cm x 34cm non-stick baking tray, leaving the excess overhanging. Tip in the filling and spread out evenly.

  Step 5

  Roll out the rest of the pastry to make a lid for the pie. Brush the edges of the bottom pastry with beaten egg then lay the lid on top. Gently press to seal then trim both pieces of pastry, leaving a border of 2cm. Roll this back in on itself so you have a sausage all around the tin. Crimp the sausage between your fingers to seal. Brush all over with egg and pierce a couple of holes in the middle.

  Step 6

  Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until deep golden and crisp. Sit for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Nutritional data

• kcals 888
• fat 56.6g
• saturates 22.5g
• carbs 55.5g
• sugars 2.6g
• fibre 6.6g
• protein 35.8g
• salt 2g