Chicken and Mushroom Pie Recipe

Serves 4-6 people

5 chicken thighs (bone in, skin optional - I like skin on and I leave most of it in the pie)

1 onion

1 clove garlic

200ml chicken stock (you can make from the thigh bones as described below or stock cube or whatever...)

100ml milk, or 50ml milk and 50ml wine

200g mushrooms

2 tblsp plain flour

Egg for glazing

Pastry (flaky, shortcrust or puff - homemade or bought - I used Paul Hollywood's flaky pastry recipe - but all butter no lard)

To cover dish 8x25cm or thereabouts (I used 175 g of flour)

It is best if you prepare the chicken the day before as you can use the bones for stock - otherwise you can use stock cubes or other stock you have.

Put the chicken breasts skin side down in a frying pan and fry until darkish brown.

Turn over, cover and continue to cook until cooked through (30 mins maybe).

Leave to cool a bit then remove the bones and and flabby bits of skin.

To make stock use a small pan and just cover the bones with water and boil for a couple of hours. You only want about 200ml of stock so let it reduce down as it cooks.

Chop onions and garlic and fry gently in oil until starting to brown. Add the flour to the onions and stir. Then add the stock and the milk/wine mixture (or just milk if not using wine). Stir and add the whole lot to the chicken meat along with the mushrooms (cut up if they are big). The mixture should be quite liquidy with the sauce being the texture of thick cream once you have brought it to the boil.

Bring to a boil stirring so you don't get lumps and simmer for about 10 mins.

Put in to the pie dish and cover with the pastry. Brush with the egg, cut some air holes and bake at 180C for about an hour until the pastry is cooked and brown.

Serve with mashed potatoes and veg.