Chicken and Chorizo Pie

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 7-8 chicken thighs

• 200g chorizo, sliced

• 1 onion, sliced

• 1 leek, sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• Fresh thyme

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 3 tbsp plain flour

• 400ml chicken stock

• 250ml cider

• 150 ml crème fraiche

• 500g puff pastry

• olive oil (for cooking and for pastry washing)

Method.

STEP 1:Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, cooking until the chicken is golden. Add the chorizo when the chicken is almost finished until the fat has rendered out of the chorizo. Remove both from the pan and set aside.

STEP 2:In the same pan, add the onions and garlic, frying for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the sliced leeks and a few sprigs of thyme, and continue frying until everything is soft and fragrant.

STEP 3:Sprinkle in the flour, stirring well to soak up all those delicious juices. Pour in the cider, stir, and let it simmer for about a minute to cook off the alcohol. Return the chicken and chorizo to the pan, add the chicken stock and lemon juice, and stir well. Cover and let the mixture simmer gently for 40 minutes.

STEP 4:Remove the chicken thighs from the pan, shred them with two forks (or chop if you prefer chunkier pieces), and add them back to the pan. Stir in the crème fraiche and let everything simmer together for another 10 minutes. leave the lid off at this point to let it reduce to your desired thickness.

STEP 5:Transfer the filling into a pie dish and set it aside to cool slightly. Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 6). Roll out your puff pastry to about 3mm thickness (a £1 coin is a good guide) and shape it to fit over the top of your pie dish.

STEP 6:Once the filling has cooled a bit, brush the edges of the pie dish with egg, milk, oil, or water—whichever you prefer (I used garlic-infused oil!). Lay the pastry over the top, trim any excess, and crimp the edges for a polished look. You can use any pastry offcuts for decoration if desired.

STEP 7:Pierce the pastry a few times to allow steam to escape, then brush with egg wash for a golden finish (or milk, oil, or leave it plain). Bake the pie for about 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and puffed. Enjoy!