Chicken, Leek and Lemon Pie

By

The best chicken pie ever! Lemon and tarragon give the sauce lots of flavour and grilling the breasts creates a superior taste.


View complete recipe

  • 4

Ingredients

  • Filling:
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 lbs (750 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 12 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
  • 3 leeks
  • 1/4 cup (50 mL) butter
  • 1/4 cup (50 mL) flour
  • 2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp (5 mL) dry
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) grated lemon rind
  • 1/4 cup (50 mL) whipping cream
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3/4 cup (175 mL) green peas, defrosted if frozen
  • 1 No Fail Pastry (recipe below)
  • 1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt

Preparation

Step 1

Combine oil and lemon juice. Toss with chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat broiler or use grill pan. Broil breasts 5 minutes per side or until still slightly pink in centre. Cool. Cut into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) dice and reserve.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Place garlic in cold water, bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and peel garlic. Reserve.
Cut dark green leaves from leeks and discard. Wash leeks well and slice into 1/2-inch (1-cm) sections.
Heat butter in skillet on medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes or until leeks soften. Stir in flour and cook until pale gold, about 4 minutes, adding more butter if needed. Stir in chicken stock, tarragon, lemon juice and rind. Bring to boil. Add cream, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thick and glossy. Season well with salt and pepper.
Stir in green peas and chicken. Place in a 6-cup (1.5-L) baking dish or individual baking dishes. Roll out pastry 1/4-inch (5-mm) thick to cover top of dish. Cut a 1-inch (2.5-cm) strip from edges of pastry. Brush edges of dish with water and lay strip around edges. Brush with egg. Lay remaining pastry on top, sealing edges. Cut a steam hole, decorate with any extra pastry cut in shapes, if desired. Brush with egg.
Bake pie on middle shelf of oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until pastry is golden and mixture bubbles.

View complete recipe