Name: Lemon Herb Chicken Pie with Filo
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 57 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on; 400 ml chicken stock; 2 tbsp plain flour; 75 g watercress; black pepper; 6 cloves, unpeeled; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp olive oil, for brushing; 50 g butter; 500 g jersey royals, quartered; 15 g tarragon, finely chopped; 30 g parsley, finely chopped; 2 lemons, halved; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; 5 filo pastries; Buttered peas and greens, to serve; Dressed green salad, to serve

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Lemon Herb Chicken Pie with Filo — British

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
400 ml chicken stock
2 tbsp plain flour
75 g watercress
black pepper
6 cloves, unpeeled
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp olive oil, for brushing
50 g butter
500 g jersey royals, quartered
15 g tarragon, finely chopped
30 g parsley, finely chopped
2 lemons, halved
2 tsp Dijon mustard
5 filo pastries
Buttered peas and greens, to serve
Dressed green salad, to serve

Method

Heat the oven to 190°C fan.
Tip the chicken thighs, quartered Jersey Royals, halved lemons and unpeeled garlic cloves onto a large baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss until everything is glossy.
Roast for 45 minutes, until the chicken skin is deep golden and crisp and the potatoes have caught at the edges. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
While that cools, melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat until it foams. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute to a sandy paste, then gradually whisk in the chicken stock until smooth and thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the Dijon and season to taste.
Lift the chicken from the tray. Peel off the skins and set them aside, then discard the bones and any gristle and shred the meat into rough pieces.
Squeeze the soft roasted garlic from its skins back into the tray with the potatoes, then squeeze in the juice from the roasted lemon halves. Mix everything together, scraping up any sticky bits.
Tip the chicken and potato mixture into an ovenproof dish. Pour over the mustard sauce, scatter in the tarragon, parsley and watercress, and fold through. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Chop the reserved chicken skin into shards and sprinkle over the top for crunch.
Cut the filo sheets in half, scrunch each piece loosely like a paper rose, and arrange over the filling until covered. Brush with olive oil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the filo is shatteringly crisp and deep gold and the filling is bubbling at the edges.