A festive pie that can also be made as one dish or several small treats – ideal for dinner parties and easy entertaining
Several sheets of ready-rolled puff pastry
400g cooked free-range chicken
olive oil
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
3-4 rashers free-range streaky bacon, cut into thin strips
1 stick celery, finely chopped
3-4 button mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp flour (or gluten-free cornflour)
1/2 cup vegetable stock (or the chicken cooking liquid, see recipe)
3/4 cup cream
150g frozen cranberries
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
Chicken: If using breasts, chop finely and fry. If using a whole chicken (which is cheaper), cook by submerging in a large pot of water. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from liquid, cool and pull 400g of meat from the bones. Reserve half a cup of the cooking liquid if using instead of stock.
Pastry: Line the pie dish with the rolled-out pastry. Trim any extra pastry off the edges. Set aside in the fridge to chill.
Filling: Place a large frying pan on moderate heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté onion and bacon, then add celery and mushrooms and sauté until gently browned. In a bowl, mix flour and stock and add to pan, stirring continuously. Reduce until sauce is rich and creamy.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir in carefully. Once meat is coated, transfer contents into pie dish. Cover pie with a layer of cranberries, pushing a little into the filling. Bake for 25 minutes until pastry is golden and cranberries are oozing but still red.
