Chicken & ham pie

4 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
½ounceButter
1tablespoonOil
1Onion, finely chopped
4Boneless chicken thighs, skinned
4ouncesCooked ham, diced
2Courgettes, sliced
1tablespoonPlain flour
2tablespoonsFresh parsley, chopped
5fluid ounceMilk
Salt and black pepper
8ouncesPuff pastry, thawed if frozen
5fluid ounceSoured cream
2mediumsEggs
Beaten egg to glaze

Directions

Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Set oven 180C/350F (Mark 4).

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and onions to a 11l (2Pt) pie dish and arrange the ham and courgettes on top.

Add flour to the pan and cook for a few seconds. Stir in the parsley and gradually add the milk, stirring until sauce thickens. Season.

Pour over the chicken mixture, cover with foil and bake for 30 mins until chicken is cooked. Leave to cool.

Raise oven temperature to 400F,200C (Mark 6). Roll out the pastry to about cm (2in) larger than the pie dish.

Beat together cream and eggs and stir into chicken mixture. Cut a strip of pastry, moisten, and fit around edge of pie dish. Cover with remaining pastry and score across top to decorate.

Brush with beaten egg and bake for 20 or 30 minutes. Stand for 10 minutes before serving.