Chicken Pie with Celeriac Mash

Chicken Pie

Chicken Pie is always a crowd-pleaser. Celeriac is a knobbly vegetable with flesh like a potato and the flavour of celery. It darkens on cutting, so keep in water with lemon added when preparing.

Ingredients 

600g chicken breast or thigh fillets
60g butter
3 rashers bacon, chopped
1 medium (350g) leek, sliced
200g mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons plain flour
1½ cups (375ml) chicken stock
¼ cup (60ml) cream
2 teaspoons grain mustard
1 tablespoon chopped chives or tarragon
1 cup frozen peas and corn mixture

Celeriac Mash
2 medium (1.2kg) celeriac (see Cook’s Note)
1kg Pontiac, desiree or washed potatoes
50g butter, chopped
½ cup (125ml) hot milk

Method

1. For Chicken Pie: Preheat the oven to moderately hot (200°C/180°C fan–forced).  Chop chicken coarsely.  Melt 20g butter in a large frying pan; cook bacon, leek and mushrooms over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is golden and the leek and mushrooms tender. Transfer to a large bowl.  Cook chicken and garlic in same pan until browned and almost cooked. Add to leek mixture. Melt remaining butter in a small pan, add flour; cook, stirring, until the mixture bubbles.  Gradually stir in the stock, bring to the boil; simmer, stirring, until thickened. Stir in cream, mustard and chives. Season to taste. Add sauce and peas and corn to chicken mixture. Spread into a greased, shallow 23cm square or round ovenproof dish (or similar).  Top with mash and place in oven.  Bake uncovered in oven until hot and the topping starts to brown, around 10 minutes.
2. For Celeriac Mash: Steam, boil or roast the celeriac and potatoes, separately, until soft. Drain well. Mash vegetables until smooth (or for a silky result, use a mouli or ricer). Stir in the butter and milk, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

If you like this chicken Pie Here is a similar pie, using fillo pastry rather than mash.

or Family Chicken Pie with Rough Puff Pastry