Chicken and Kumara Pie 500px

Chicken and kūmara pie

  • Serves 6
  • Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 40 minutes

Chicken pie is an easy and filling way to feed the whānau. Liven up this classic recipe using fresh kūmara and your favourite frozen vege mix, for a nutritious and wholesome family-style pie.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 500g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed

  • 4 rashers of streaky bacon, diced

  • 1 brown onion

  • 300g orange kumara, diced

  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted

  • 1 tbsp dried tarragon

  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)

  • 50g flour

  • 1 ½ cups real chicken stock (or from powder)

  • ½ cup milk

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1-2 sheets frozen puff pastry

  • 1 egg, beaten

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C on bake, or 200°C on fan bake.

  2. Heat vegetable oil in a high-sided frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, cook the chicken thigh pieces for 4-5 minutes until golden brown.

  3. Remove the chicken from the pan, then add the bacon pieces. Fry until crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Add the onion, kumara and mixed veggies and sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

  4. Tip in the flour, and stir vigorously to combine and form a thick paste. Gradually pour in the stock and milk, continuing to stir until you have a gravy-like sauce.

  5. Add the tarragon and thyme, then bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer until medium-thick.

  6. Add the chicken back into the sauce, as well as any resting juices. Stir to combine. Pour the filling into a pie dish or ceramic baking dish of your choice. Top with puff pastry sheets, folding any excess over the rim to create a seal. Add slashes on top of the pastry to create steam vents then brush with beaten egg.

  7. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and shiny.