Cheat’s chicken & leek pie

Chicken pie is one of my favourite meals in the winter- it is so comforting and v tasty. This is a cheat’s version because I use ready made pastry and you can also use ready cooked chicken and vegetables, if you want. However, if you have more time like I did today, you can make it from scratch.

Ingredients:

1 large knob of butter
1 leek
3 small white onions or 2 big ones
4 garlic cloves
100g button mushrooms
3 tbsp flour
400ml semi skimmed/ full fat milk (therefore reduces the need for cream etc)
2 stock cubes/ stock pots- this is really key to the taste of the pie, so I used a better quality and richer chicken and thyme stock pot (see picture)
Bowl of ready cooked chicken (250g) – you can either get this from the rotisserie, in the chilled section- or often I cook my own If i have time, by poaching 3 chicken breasts in stock on a medium heat, for about 20 minutes or until cooked
Bowl of frozen mixed vegetables (200g) (optional- can use this instead of the leeks and mushrooms for a quicker meal)
1 pack of parsley, chopped
Ready rolled puffed or shortcrust pastry (250g)
1 egg, beaten

Method:
1) Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees celcius.
2) Add the butter to the pan and fry the onions, garlic, leek and mushrooms until soft. Season.

3) Add the flour to this. Cook on a low heat for a couple of minutes to cook out the flour.

4) Now add the milk little by little. You want to incorporate this slowly to avoid there being any lumps. Then add the stock cubes/pots to the pan.

6) Add the frozen vegetables (if using), chicken and parsley to the mixture. Season again with salt and pepper.

7) Empty the mixture into a tray/ pie dish.

8) Add the ready rolled pastry on top. The sheet I used did not fit the pie dish, so I used some of the extra bits to patch up the sides and cut out some leaves for the top.