Chicken pie with crumble crust
It’s hard to resist a pie – and with this crumble topped version, you don’t need to as it only has a single tablespoon of butter and a little bit of oil. Likewise, in the filling. The result is the best of both worlds - an unexpectedly sumptuous take on chicken pie with a fabulous flaky crust. You'll need individual ramekins or baking dishes that can hold 1 ½ to 2 cups each.
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
- 450g boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 150g mixed mushrooms, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 ⅓ cups trim milk
- 1 cup wholemeal flour
- Large handful fresh mixed herbs (we used parsley and thyme), roughly chopped
- 40g cold butter, cut into cubes
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200°C fan bake. To make the filling, bring a drizzle of oil to medium-high heat in a large casserole dish. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Using the same pan add another drizzle of oil and sauté the onion, celery and mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes or softened. Add garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook for a further minute or until fragrant.
- Add stock and increase to high heat. Set aside two tablespoons of milk for the crust. Whisk together the remaining milk and a third cup of wholemeal flour until well combined, then pour into the dish. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan. Stir through three quarters of the mixed herbs, then divide the mixture into greased ramekins placed on a baking tray.
- To make the crust, in a large bowl combine remaining flour and a pinch of salt. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the reserved milk and remaining herbs and stir together with a fork until crumbly, then use your hands to bring it together into a dough.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll as thin as possible. Tear off small flake-like pieces of the dough and arrange on top of each pie to make a rustic, crumbly topping that covers the filling. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
Top tips:
- How do I add more veggies to my pie? Pack in the veggies with two cups of frozen green beans and a cup of frozen peas combined into the filling with the fresh mixed herb.
- What is the best way to store this? Store in smaller portions with the crumble crust on top, in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer. Reheat your pie in the microwave or in a hot oven—ensuring the meat and the filling are heated thoroughly (until steaming hot).
Recipe notes and FAQs:
- How do I add more veggies to my pie? Pack in the veggies with two cups of frozen green beans and a cup of frozen peas combined into the filling with the fresh mixed herb.
- Can I use other cuts of chicken? Thigh is recommended as it is less prone to drying out than chicken breast, but feel free to use that if preferred.
- Can I substitute the mushrooms? Mushrooms add savouriness and texture to this pie. You can substitute this with tofu marinated in soy sauce which would give a similar flavour and texture, or add more vegetables.
- What is the best way to store this? Store in smaller portions with the crumble crust on top, in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer. Reheat your pie in the microwave or in a hot oven—ensuring the meat and the filling are heated thoroughly (until steaming hot).
- What can I serve this with? A dressed salad or blanched seasonal green veg (such as green beans) would work well with this pie.