If you need a pick-me-up throughout the week, turn to this delicious and simple comforting chicken pie dish that is guaranteed to lift everyones spirits! With just eleven simple and low cost ingredients, you won’t need to break the budget to achieve this mouthwatering flavour.

Like any delicious homemade meat pie, if you want to add even more tasty ingredients to the mix – go ahead as the recipe is flexible and super easy to adjust to suit your tastebuds. Simply top it off with some mashed potato and gravy, and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs
• 8 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into large pieces
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 250g pack baby button mushrooms
• handful thyme sprigs
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 400ml chicken stock
• 200ml milk
• 500g pack fresh puff pastry, or frozen and defrosted
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Heat oil in large, non-stick frying pan. Season chicken and fry for 5-8 mins until golden brown, turning occasionally. Transfer to plate. Add bacon to pan. Fry for 5 mins until crisp. Add onion, mushrooms and thyme sprigs. Fry on high heat for another 3 mins until the onions start to colour. Tip flour into pan and cook, stirring, for 1 min.
2. Remove pan from heat and gradually stir in stock, followed by milk. Add chicken back to pan. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 mins. Spoon filling into large pie dish with a lid and leave to cool.
3. Heat oven to 220C. On floured surface, roll puff pastry to about 2cm thickness. Cut long strip as wide as the rim of the pie dish. Using a little of the egg, fix to the edge of the pie dish.
4. Brush with egg, then lift the rest of the pastry over the pie, using rolling pin to help. Gently press edges with fingers and trim with sharp knife. Brush lightly with egg to glaze. Bake for 30 mins or until pastry is risen and dark golden brown.