Poached chicken and softened leeks in a creamy tarragon sauce under a crisp puff pastry lid.
Prep
25 mins
Cook
1h
Servings
6
Per serving
£2.15
Difficulty
medium
Tarragon is an underused herb in British cooking, but its faint aniseed note against creamy leeks and chicken is what lifts this pie above the everyday.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and cook the chicken pieces for 5-6 minutes until lightly coloured. Add the leeks and cook gently for a further 8 minutes until softened.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir well for a minute to cook it out.
Dissolve the stock cube in 200ml boiling water and gradually stir into the pan along with the milk, stirring continuously until you have a smooth, thickened sauce. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Stir in the cream, tarragon and mustard, season to taste, and leave the filling to cool for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Spoon the filling into a pie dish, roll the pastry slightly larger than the dish, and drape it over, trimming and crimping the edges. Cut a small steam vent.
Brush with beaten egg and bake for 30-35 minutes until risen and deep golden.