Hairy Bikers Chicken and Mushroom Pie

This Hairy Bikers chicken and mushroom pie packs diced chicken thighs and sliced mushrooms into a creamy béchamel under an all-butter puff pastry crust. It comes from the Chicken and Egg cookbook, serves 4, and it is built as a proper double-crust pie with pastry top and bottom.

What sets this one apart is the double crust, since most versions online use only a puff lid. Here the filling sits between two layers of pastry, which soaks up the sauce and makes every slice feel generous.

Let the filling cool fully before it goes anywhere near the pastry. Warm filling melts the butter in the crust before baking, so the base turns greasy and soft instead of crisp.

Hairy Bikers Chicken and Mushroom Pie

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:British Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 45 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour 15 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:850 kcal Best Season:Winter

Description

Diced chicken is seared, then onion and mushrooms are softened and the pan deglazed with white wine. A smooth béchamel comes together with butter, flour, stock, and cream, folds through the chicken and herbs, then bakes between two layers of all-butter puff pastry until deep golden.

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 500g block of all-butter puff pastry
• Plain flour, for dusting
• Beaten egg, to glaze

For the filling

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 35g butter
• 600g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced (or breasts if you prefer)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 250g button or chestnut mushrooms, wiped and sliced
• 25g plain flour
• 75ml white wine
• 250ml chicken stock
• 50ml double cream (optional)
• Leaves from a sprig of thyme
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 small sprig of tarragon, finely chopped (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Line the dish: Dust your surface with flour and roll out half the pastry. Use it to line a 750ml pie dish, leaving a little overhang, then chill it in the fridge while you make the filling.
2. Sear the chicken: Heat the oil and 10g of the butter in a large frying pan. Add the chicken, season, and cook over a medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until seared all over. Lift it out with a slotted spoon.
3. Soften the mushrooms: Add the onion and mushrooms to the same pan, then cook until glossy and softened. Remove them, pour in the wine, and let it bubble for a minute, scraping up the sticky bits, then keep that liquid.
4. Make the béchamel: Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add the wine, then the stock, until smooth. Stir in the cream if using, then fold through the chicken, mushrooms, and herbs and leave to cool.
5. Fill and top: Preheat the oven to 200°C, Fan 180°C, Gas 6. Spoon the cooled filling into the lined dish, then roll out the rest of the pastry for a lid. Cover the pie, seal the edges with cold water, and cut a couple of slits in the top.
6. Glaze and bake: Brush the top with beaten egg, then bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The pie is ready when the pastry is deep golden and well puffed, and the filling is piping hot.

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FAQs

Should I use chicken thighs or breast, and why the béchamel?

The book uses thighs because they stay juicy and full of flavour through the bake, though breasts work if you prefer. The béchamel is the key part, built by cooking flour in butter, then adding wine, stock, and a splash of cream.

That sauce coats the chicken and mushrooms so nothing dries out under the pastry. Thigh meat also holds up better than breast if you reheat a slice the next day, since it stays tender.

Is there a wild mushroom version of this pie?

Yes, the Hairy Bikers have a chicken and wild mushroom pie in their Perfect Pies book, which is the version you often see online. It uses chicken breasts and wild mushrooms in a cream sauce, topped with a single puff lid rather than a double crust.

Their tip there is a good one, since wild mushrooms are not always easy to find. Use chestnut or button mushrooms instead, or soak a few dried wild ones and fry them in for a deeper, earthier flavour.

What is the deep-filled version, and can I make it for a crowd?

Yes, the deep-filled version in Mums Still Know Best is the one to make for a crowd, as it serves 6. It uses a shortcrust base with a puff pastry top, so you get two different textures in one pie.

The filling there leans on milk and stock rather than wine, which makes it a little more everyday. For a lighter meal without pastry at all, the chicken chasseur braises thighs with the same mushrooms and wine.

What should I serve with chicken and mushroom pie?

This is a rich pie, so it wants sides that keep things fresh or add a bit of comfort. Buttery greens, peas, or roast carrots all work, and mash is never wrong alongside a pie.

For a proper Sunday spread, a dish of dauphinoise potatoes turns it into a feast. A bubbling cauliflower cheese also pairs beautifully, since its cheese sauce loves the mushroom filling.

Can I make it ahead or freeze it?

Yes, this pie is a good make-ahead, so assemble it, then chill it unbaked for up to a day before it goes in the oven. You can also freeze it unbaked, then bake from frozen with a little extra time.

If you fancy a different filling another night, the chicken and leek pie uses the same creamy method with leeks and ham instead. It is a lovely way to ring the changes while keeping that comforting pie feeling.