This hearty chicken and bacon pie is served with cheesy dumplings, making it the perfect winter warmer.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
For the chicken, bacon and leek filling:
- 50g butter
- 250g sliced leeks
- 250g cooked chicken, cut into pieces
- 250g cooked ham, cut into pieces
- 100ml white wine
- 100ml chicken stock
- 250ml cream
- 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
- Salt and pepper
For the cheesy dumpling mix:
- 225g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 12g caster sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 35g butter
- 1 egg
- 100ml milk
- 75-100g grated cheddar or gruyere cheese
Method
- Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add in the butter. Allow to melt and foam, then add in the sliced leeks with a little salt and pepper and cook gently, turning the heat down to low, for about 3 minutes, until the leeks are just tender.
- Now add in the chicken and bacon, turn the heat up and cook for a few minutes to heat it up then pour in the white wine. Bring up to the boil, uncovered, and allow to bubble and reduce, for about 2 minutes.
- Next add in the chicken stock and allow to bubble and reduce again then add in the cream and chopped tarragon and simmer for 3-4 minutes until it begins to thicken. Taste for seasoning then place the mixture in a pie dish.
- Preheat the oven to 180'C/160’Fan/350’F/Gas mark 4.
- To make the cheesy dumpling mix, place the flour in a bowl and add in the baking powder, caster sugar and salt. Mix well then rub in the butter and make a well in the centre.
- Crack the egg into a separate bowl, add in the milk, and whisk to mix. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, leaving just 1 tablespoon of the liquid behind for later.
- Mix the dough then turn out onto a floured work surface then pat out and shape the dough in a square, about 2 centimetres thick.
- Cut into approximately 6 squares then place each on the pie mixture. Now brush the dough with the last remaining 1 tablespoon of liquid, sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden on top, and bubbling hot.
