Watercress and lemon chicken pot pies recipe
This take on a classic pub pie is just the right mix of fresh and indulgent. Put an afternoon aside to make this dish and experience proper comfort under a bronzed pastry crust.
See method- Serves 4
- 30 mins to prepare and 1 hour 30 mins to cook
- 582 calories / serving
- Freezable
Ingredients
- 40g butter
- 400g pack diced chicken breast
- 1 large onion, diced
- 40g plain flour
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- 1 chicken stock cube, made up to 400ml
- 4 tbsp single cream
- 250g small or Chantenay carrots, larger carrots peeled and halved
- 85g pack watercress
- 3 spring onions, roughly sliced
- 1 lemon, zested, ⅓ juiced (you need 1 tbsp), the rest cut into wedges
- 1 x 375g pack lighter ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
- 125g frozen peas, blanched and cooled
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Shop ingredientsEach serving contains
- Energy
- 2440kJ 582.0kcal
- Fat
- 24g
- Saturates
- 13g
- Salt
- 1.9g
- Sugars
- 13g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 54.9gProtein 35.7gFibre 6.1g
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Method
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the chicken and fry, stirring, for 3-4 mins until sealed; transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onion and fry for 5-8 mins until soft. Stir in the flour and mustard, increase the heat to medium and slowly stir in the stock to make a smooth sauce.
- Return the chicken and any juices to the pan and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream, then tip into a sieve set over a large bowl to separate most of the sauce.
- Boil the carrots until just tender, then drain well.
- Blitz the sauce and 50g watercress in a food processor until smooth. Mix into the chicken with the carrots, spring onions, lemon zest and juice; season. Divide between 4 small pie dishes and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Brush the edges of the dishes with a little egg. Unroll the pastry and cut out 4 pie lids. Press the pastry to the edges of the dishes; trim any excess. Chill for at least 1 hr or overnight before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Brush the pastry twice with egg, cut a cross in the middle of each pie, then decorate by scoring lightly with a knife. Bake for 25-30 mins until the pastry is golden. 7 Toss the remaining watercress with the peas and serve with the pies and lemon wedges.
- See more Pie recipes
Freezing and defrosting guidelines
In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.
