Chicken and Ham Pie with Vegetables
This Chicken and Ham pie is one of the tastiest pies I have ever cooked. It is not complicated to make and has the most delicious flavour.
This recipe uses ready rolled shortcrust pastry however it is not difficult to make your own. See the section Advice for Chicken and Ham Pie below for more details.
500g / 1lb chicken breast cubed
100g / 3.5oz Ham
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons plain flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large leek, chopped
1 Onion chopped
25g / 1oz Melted butter
2fl oz / 1/4 Cup chicken stock
Milk for glazing the pastry
2fl oz / 1/4 cup single cream or milk
1 pack ready rolled shortcrust pastry
Cut the ham (100g) into 1cm (1/2in) chunks.
Finely chop the onion.
Cut the chicken (500g) into 1cm (1/2in) chunks.
Put the pepper, flour (2 tablespoons) and ground nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon) into a plastic bag, add the diced chicken and give it a good shake so each piece of chicken is well coated.
Coating chicken pieces in flour
Grease the ovenproof dish with some of the melted butter.
Butter melting in a pan
The ham we use in this recipes is thick cut chunks (sometimes called offcuts) rather rather than thin slices
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C, Fan 180°C, Gas Mark 6, 400°F.
Place half the leek and onions in layers over the bottom of the casserole dish
A layer of leeks in the casserole dish
Top off with half the chicken and ham pieces. Repeat the layers using the remaining onions, leeks, chicken and ham.
Final layer of Chicken and Ham Pie
Drizzle the remaining melted butter over the mixture and pour on the stock.
Drizzle butter over the pie filling
Cut the ready rolled shortcrust pastry to fit, and dampen the edges of the casserole dish with a little water, this will allow the pastry to stick to the side. Place the shortcrust pastry on top of the mixture, and decorate the edges, I find it easier just to use a fork, see the picture below.
Pastry covered Chicken and Ham Pie
Cut three deep slits in the top of the pie, this will allow the steam to escape during cooking, it also provides an entrance to pour in the cream at the end of the cooking time.
Brush the pastry with a little milk, this will create a lovely colour when cooked.
Slits cut in top of Chicken and Ham Pie
Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven (200°C, Fan 180°C, Gas Mark 6, 400°F) or until the pastry is golden brown and the chicken is cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes, pour the cream in through the slots on the top and leave to stand for another 10 minutes, before serving with delicious vegetables of your choice.