Orchard Chicken & Bacon Pie with Scalloped Potato Crust

By franny-2

The mellow fall flavours of apples and Riesling combine with chicken and bacon in this crowd pleasing potato-topped pie.

Ingredients

• FILLING
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 4 slices thick-cut double-smoked bacon, coarsely chopped
• 2 lbs (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced diagonally
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup (250 mL) late-harvest Riesling or other fruity white wine
• 1 cup (250 mL) homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 large Northern Spy or Gala apple, peeled, cored and cut into 16 wedges
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) each cornstarch and cold water
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) smooth Dijon mustard
• SCALLOPED POTATO CRUST
• 2 lbs (1 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
• 1 cup (250 mL) homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped parsley

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1 For filling, heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate.

2 Pour off and reserve all but 1 tbsp (15 mL) fat from skillet. Season chicken thighs well with salt and pepper. Cook thighs, in batches, for about 5 minutes, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove thighs from skillet, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces and set aside on a second plate (separate from bacon).

3 Add an additional 1 tbsp (15 mL) fat to skillet if necessary and reduce heat to medium. Add onion and carrot and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until onion is soft but not brown. Add garlic and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

4 Add wine to skillet and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Boil for about 2 minutes or until wine has reduced by about half. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Return chicken to skillet, along with any juices that have accumulated on plate. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add apple to skillet and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until chicken thighs are no longer pink inside and carrot and apple are tender.

5 In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water. Add to skillet and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and is smooth. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Stir in bacon, tarragon and mustard. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Spoon chicken mixture into a shallow 8-cup (2-L) baking dish. If you’re not completing the pie immediately, cover and refrigerate it until ready to proceed, removing it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before adding the scalloped potato crust.

6 For scalloped potato crust, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

7 Slice potatoes very thinly (use a mandolin slicer for best results). In a large saucepan, combine stock, cream, garlic, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and add potatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, rearranging potatoes gently once or twice, until potatoes are tender but not broken up.

8 With a slotted spoon, carefully remove potatoes from saucepan and arrange more or less in an even layer on top of chicken mixture, discarding bay leaf. Put dish on baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until potatoes are golden brown and chicken mixture is bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes, then sprinkle evenly with parsley before serving.