The Ultimate Chicken Pie

Preheat your oven to 190C. Flip the chicken over so the breasts are on the board and the parson’s nose is pointing towards you. With scissors, cut through the ribs on both sides to remove the spine. Turn the chicken over and press it down to flatten.

Pat the chicken and backbone dry, place in a roasting tray, rub with olive oil and salt, and roast for 30 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove from the oven and let it rest.

For the garnish, peel and cut the shallots into chunks, quarter the button mushrooms, and slice the lardons. Saute in olive oil until golden.

Remove the chicken meat from the bones, keeping the carcass and some bones for the sauce. Dice the chicken meat into bite-sized pieces.

For the sauce, roast the carcass and bones at 200C for 20 minutes. Saute sliced shallots and crushed garlic in butter, add white wine and aromatics, and reduce by two-thirds. Add chicken stock, simmer, and reduce by half. Strain and whisk in cream, then thicken with a beurre manie made from flour and chicken fat.

Stir the chicken and garnish into the sauce, add chopped parsley and tarragon, and season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool.

Roll out puff pastry and line a pie dish, refrigerate for 30 minutes. Fill with chicken filling, cover with a pastry lid, seal edges, and make a slit for steam. Brush with egg wash.

Bake at 180C Fan for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.