CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PIE

Gluten free, Nut Free, Egg Free and you can make it dairy free if you like.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken filling:

• 1kg chicken thigh, cut into 3cm cubes
• 3 Tbsp. corn flour
• 4-6 flat mushrooms, finely diced
• 1Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil or Coconut oil
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1½ Cups chicken stock
• ½ tsp. pink salt
• ¼ tsp. white pepper

Potato top:

• 8 large potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 3-4 Tbsp. milk

METHOD:

• In a large frying pan or cast iron pot, heat 1 Tbsp oil on high heat.
• While the oil is heating, coat the chicken in the corn flour.
• Partially cook the chicken in 3 batches (about 2-3 minutes per batch), placing it in a large bowl to rest.
• In the pan add the other Tbsp. oil and butter. Add in onion and fry for 2 minutes or until soft. Add in garlic and stir for 1 minute.
• Place mushrooms, salt and pepper in the pan. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
• Add in stock and stir scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the flavour from the chicken. Bring to the boil.
• Put the lid on and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 190ºC.
• In the meantime, in a large saucepan on high heat, place potatoes in covered with water (or you could use a steamer).
• When the potatoes are cooked (they should be soft when you stick a fork into a piece), strain the water and pt them back in the saucepan.
• Mash the potatoes a bit then add the butter. Mash a little more then add the milk. You don’t want the potatoes to be too dry as they will dry out in the oven a little. If it is too dry add a little more milk.
• Make sure the chicken mixture is not too runny. if it is too liquid, add a tsp. of cornflour to 2 tsp. water in a small cup. Add this to the chicken mixture.
• Once the chicken is ready, pour into a greased casserole dish. Pour the mashed potato on the top and spread evenly over the chicken. Make sure the potato isn’t smooth on the top. The bits sticking up become the crispy bits.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the top is golden.
• Serve with some steamed vegetables.