Cheesy chicken leek and tarragon pot-pie
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: British
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
This recipe adds a delicious twist of French Comte cheese to an English classic: chicken and leek pot-pie.
Ingredients
  • 1 small chicken, roasted
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 1 leek, trimmed, washed, cut in half vertically then sliced finely
  • 1 tablespoon plain flour
  • 250ml whole milk
  • 140ml double cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
  • 100g Comté cheese, grated
  • salt and pepper
  • 500g pack of all butter puff pastry
  • 1 free range egg, beaten
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 220°C.
  2. Tear the chicken flesh from the bone and into bite-sized chunks, discarding the skin and bones.
  3. Heat the butter in a large pan and add the leek. Cook for 5 minutes or so, until softened and lightly coloured but not browned. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute.  Then remove from the heat and add a little of the milk.  Stir vigorously to form a smooth paste, then return to the heat and gradually add the rest of the milk while stirring continuously.
  4. Add the cream and simmer until the sauce thickens a little, then stir in the chicken, tarragon and Comté.  Check for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Spoon the mixture into your pie dish (I used 2 small 18cm oblong enamel pie dishes) and set aside to coll slightly.
  5. Roll out the pastry to the thickness about 2mm and cut a piece big enough to cover your pie dish (or dishes, if you are making 2 smaller pies). Take the offcuts from the pastry and cut into thin 0.5cm strips.  Brush the rim of the pie dish with the egg mix and press these thin pastry strips all the way around the rim of the dish. Brush the pastry again with the egg mix.
  6. Lift the pastry lid on to the pie(s), trimming off any excess. Press down and crimp the edges with a fork, pressing the lid down onto the pastry strips.  Cut a couple of slits in the pastry lid to let the steam out and brush all over with the rest of the egg mix.
  7. Place your pie dish(es) on a baking tray in case the filling bubbles over and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.  Serve immediately with  green vegetables and a glass of white wine.
Recipe by Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography at https://www.cooksister.com/2015/03/cheesy-chicken-leek-and-tarragon-pot-pie.html