Chicken and Leek Pie

Poaching the chicken

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Once boiling, add chicken breast and bay leaf. Once the water starts boiling again, place a lid on the saucepan and allow chicken to sit in the water and poach for 30 minutes.
2. Once the time has elapsed, shred chicken into pieces using two forks.
3. Make the filling while the chicken is poaching.

Filling

1. Cook sliced leek, grated potato and ¾ of the measured amount of tarragon in the oil in a large frying pan over low-medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Combine cornflour with a little cold water to form a runny paste and then combine that with hot chicken stock. Add to leek and potatoes and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until mixture thickens.
3. Add cream, mustard, lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt and pepper and cooked, shredded chicken. Cook over medium heat for another minute or two.

Making a large pie – oven instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees celsius and grease the pie dish.
2. Line the pie dish with shortcrust pastry and add a layer of baking paper weighed down with baking beads or rice.
3. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and carefully remove weights and baking paper.
5. Spoon filling into pie dish. Place puff pastry sheet over filling and press the edges to seal before trimming excess pastry.
6. Brush pastry with a little milk or egg wash and cut two small slits in the top. Sprinkle with remaining tarragon.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry on top of pie puffs and browns.

Making small pies in a pie maker

1. Preheat your pie maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Lightly grease the pie maker's cooking plates with cooking spray or melted butter.
3. Place one shortcrust pastry circle into each pie cavity, gently pressing it into the base and up the sides.
4. Spoon the chicken and leek filling into each pie, ensuring it is evenly distributed.
5. Top each pie with another puff pastry circle. Sprinkle with a little tarragon before closing the pie maker and cooking for the recommended time specified by the manufacturer or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through.
6. Carefully remove the pies from the pie maker and allow them to cool slightly before serving.