ATTENTION STUDENTS: Here's the famous recipe for "The Ultimate Chicken Pie!"

This high-fibre chicken pie is a great rainy day recipe that's easy to make and serves up to 8 people. Just 35 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook, you'd be crazy not to try it!! 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 (500g) chicken breast fillets, diced into 3cm pieces

• 5 middle bacon rashers, trimmed, thinly sliced

• 300g button mushrooms, sliced

• 1/2 cup plain flour

• 600ml thickened cream

• 1 cup fresh herbs, chopped (such as parsley, basil and chives)

• ½ pack of Chicken stock

• 1 bunch English spinach, trimmed, washed and chopped

• 6 sheets puff pastry, partially thawed

• 4 medium potatoes, unpeeled, boiled, thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 cups grated Colby cheese

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 2 teaspoons milk

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced.

Step 2
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Once cooked add in bacon and mushroom. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add flour. Cook, stirring, until a paste forms. Gradually stir in cream until a smooth sauce forms. Stir in herbs and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Step 3
Place spinach in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 3 to 4 minutes or until wilted. Drain.

Step 4
Greese the baking tray and cut pastry sheets to fit. Trim edges. Divide the potato evenly over pastry bases. Top with chicken mixture, spinach and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Brush edge of pastry with combined egg and milk.

Step 5
Place 1 pastry square over 1 pie. Trim edge. Press edge together to secure. Using a small knife, make a small slit in the top of each pie to allow steam to escape during cooking. Place pies on hot baking trays in oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffed. Stand for 5 minutes. 

Dig in and enjoy!

Quick reminder to make sure that the chicken is cooked before you add the bacon and mushroom. I may have almost given people salmonella when my friend found me cooking the chicken, bacon and mushroom all together to start. Luckily she caught me before it was too late and helped me take majority of the mushrooms and bacon out before they overcooked while the chicken was cooking. 

Moral of the story: ALWAYS COOK THE CHICKEN FIRST DESPITE WHAT YOU MAY READ!

:)

- J