James Martin Chicken And Mushroom Pie​

James Martin Chicken and Mushroom Pie is made with a whole poached chicken, fresh tarragon, rich double cream, and a crispy puff pastry lid. This recipe creates a deeply flavorful filling where the sauce is made from the chicken’s own cooking stock, resulting in a comforting dish that is savory, buttery, and flaky. It is the perfect heartwarming meal for a cold evening or a special family Sunday lunch.

Try More Recipes:

• James Martin Saturday Morning​ Lasagne Recipe
• James Martin shepherd’s pie​
• James Martin Dauphinoise Potatoes

🍄Why You Will Love This Chicken and Mushroom Pie​ Recipe:

• The “Double Stock” Flavor: Most recipes just use a stock cube. This recipe poaches the chicken in stock, and then uses that fortified, incredibly flavorful liquid to make the creamy sauce. It creates a depth of flavor that quick recipes simply cannot match.
• Ultra-Tender Meat: Because the chicken is gently poached whole rather than pan-fried or roasted, the meat stays incredibly succulent and juicy. It shreds easily and never becomes dry or stringy inside the pie.
• The Tarragon Magic: Chicken, cream, and tarragon is a legendary culinary trio. The fresh aniseed flavor of the tarragon cuts through the richness of the double cream and butter, making the pie taste sophisticated rather than just heavy.
• The Perfect Consistency: By making a proper roux (butter and flour mix) and adding the cream, the sauce hugs the ingredients. You won’t have a watery pie with a soggy bottom; you get a velvety, luxurious filling.
• Store-Bought Puff Pastry: While the filling is made from scratch with care, James Martin approves of using ready-rolled puff pastry. This saves you hours of work while still giving you that spectacular, flaky golden “lid.”

📋Chicken and Mushroom Pie Ingredients

For the Chicken and Stock:

• 1 whole chicken
• A few sprigs of fresh tarragon
• Chicken stock (enough to cover the bird)

For the Sauce and Filling:

• 50g butter (for the roux)
• 25g plain flour
• 100ml double cream
• 300g mushrooms (puff mushrooms or button mushrooms), chopped
• 25g butter (for frying mushrooms)
• 1 small bunch of tarragon, chopped
• 1 liter reserved chicken poaching stock

For the Topping:

• 300g ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg yolk (for glazing)

To Serve:

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• Broccolini
• 25g butter
• Splash of water

🥘How To Make James Martin Chicken and Mushroom Pie?

1. Poach the chicken: Place the whole chicken and a few sprigs of tarragon into a large saucepan. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover the bird. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
2. Cool and shred: Remove the chicken from the pot and leave it to cool. Important: Measure out and keep 1 liter of the poaching stock for the sauce. Once cool, pull the meat off the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces.
3. Make the sauce base: In a large pan, melt 50g of butter. Whisk in the flour to make a roux (paste). Gradually whisk in the 1 liter of reserved hot stock until you have a smooth, thickened sauce.
4. Add flavor: Stir the shredded chicken and the chopped fresh tarragon into the sauce.
5. Cook the mushrooms: In a separate frying pan, melt 25g of butter. Pan-fry the chopped mushrooms for 2 minutes until soft.
6. Finish the filling: Add the cooked mushrooms and the double cream to the chicken sauce mixture. Season with salt and pepper and stir gently. Pour the filling into individual pie dishes (or one large dish).
7. Assemble the pies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush the rim of the pie dishes with beaten egg yolk. Place the puff pastry over the top, press down to seal, and crimp the edges. Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining egg yolk for a golden finish.
8. Bake: Place the pies on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is risen, golden brown, and crisp.
9. Prepare the broccolini: Put 25g of butter and a splash of water in a pan. When boiling, add the broccolini and cook for 2 minutes. Serve alongside the hot pies.

✨Recipe Tips

• The Stock is Key: By poaching the chicken in stock and then using that same liquid to make the sauce, you layer flavor upon flavor. Do not discard the liquid!
• Cooling the Filling: If you have time, let the creamy chicken filling cool completely before putting the pastry on top. If the filling is too hot, it will melt the butter in the pastry before it hits the oven, causing a soggy bottom.
• Don’t Overwork Tarragon: Tarragon has a strong aniseed flavor. Using fresh tarragon adds a lovely brightness, but don’t add more than the recipe states or it might overpower the delicate chicken.
• Puff vs. Button Mushrooms: The recipe calls for “puff mushrooms” (puffballs) which are meaty and soft, but standard chestnut or button mushrooms work perfectly and are easier to find.

🍽️What To Serve with Chicken and Mushroom Pie?

This pie is rich and creamy, so it needs green sides to balance the plate the recipe includes buttered broccolini, which is perfect. You can also serve it with mashed potatoes to soak up the extra sauce, or glazed carrots for sweetness. A crisp green salad with a sharp lemon dressing is also a great way to cut through the richness of the pastry and cream.

❄️How To Store Leftovers Chicken and Mushroom Pie?

• Refrigerate: Store any leftover baked pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze these pies before or after baking.

• Unbaked: Assemble the pie (filling + raw pastry) and freeze. Bake from frozen (add 10-15 minutes to cooking time).
• Baked: Cool completely and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.

♨️How To Reheat Leftovers Chicken and Mushroom Pie?

Important Safety Tip : Because this filling contains double cream and chicken, it is a high-risk food for bacteria if left warm. Ensure the filling is steaming hot (at least 165°F / 75°C) before you eat it.

Avoid : Because this pie has a puff pastry lid, you must be careful. If you reheat it incorrectly, the pastry will become soggy and chewy.

1. The Oven Method (The Only Way for Crispy Pastry)

• Preheat: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Cover (Optional): If the pastry is already very dark brown, cover the pie loosely with foil to stop it from burning. If the pastry is light, leave it uncovered.
• Bake: Place the pie on a baking tray. Heat for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Check: Insert a knife into the center for 5 seconds, then touch the knife tip carefully. It should be very hot.

2. The Air Fryer Method (Fastest for Individual Pies)

• Temperature: Set the air fryer to 320°F (160°C). Do not go higher, or the top will burn before the middle is hot.
• Heat: Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Watch: Keep an eye on the pastry. If it gets too dark, cover it with a small piece of foil secured with a toothpick (if safe for your specific machine).

3. The Microwave Method (Avoid if possible)

Warning: This will ruin the pastry texture. It will become soft, wet, and gummy. Use this only if you are at work or in a rush.

• Prep: Cut the pie in half to help the center heat faster.
• Heat: Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Quick Fix: If you have access to a toaster oven, you can microwave the pie for 2 minutes to heat the inside, then pop it in the toaster oven for 2 minutes to dry out the pastry slightly.

❓FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• James Martin​ Cottage Pie
• James Martin​ Beef Casserole
• James Martin Fruit Scones​

📊Chicken and Mushroom Pie Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 individual pie (serves 4)

• Calories: 850 kcal
• Total Fat: 55g
• Saturated Fat: 30g
• Cholesterol: 180mg
• Sodium: 950mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 45g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 2g
• Protein: 40g

James Martin chicken and mushroom pie​

Recipe by Ella ThompsonCourse: Lunch, Dinner, MainCuisine: American, BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

pies

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Calories

850

kcal

📌Whole chicken is poached to create a rich stock, then shredded and combined with mushrooms, tarragon, and cream. Topped with flaky golden puff pastry.

Ingredients

• For the Chicken and Stock:

• 1 whole chicken

• A few sprigs of fresh tarragon

• Chicken stock (enough to cover the bird)

• For the Sauce and Filling:

• 50g butter (for the roux)

• 25g plain flour

• 100ml double cream

• 300g mushrooms (puff mushrooms or button mushrooms), chopped

• 25g butter (for frying mushrooms)

• 1 small bunch of tarragon, chopped

• 1 liter reserved chicken poaching stock

• For the Topping:

• 300g ready-rolled puff pastry

• 1 egg yolk (for glazing)

• To Serve:

• Broccolini

• 25g butter

• Splash of water

Directions

• Poach the chicken: Place the whole chicken and a few sprigs of tarragon into a large saucepan. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover the bird. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
• Cool and shred: Remove the chicken from the pot and leave it to cool. Important: Measure out and keep 1 liter of the poaching stock for the sauce. Once cool, pull the meat off the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces.
• Make the sauce base: In a large pan, melt 50g of butter. Whisk in the flour to make a roux (paste). Gradually whisk in the 1 liter of reserved hot stock until you have a smooth, thickened sauce.
• Make the sauce base: In a large pan, melt 50g of butter. Whisk in the flour to make a roux (paste). Gradually whisk in the 1 liter of reserved hot stock until you have a smooth, thickened sauce..
• Cook the mushrooms: In a separate frying pan, melt 25g of butter. Pan-fry the chopped mushrooms for 2 minutes until soft.
• Finish the filling: Add the cooked mushrooms and the double cream to the chicken sauce mixture. Season with salt and pepper and stir gently. Pour the filling into individual pie dishes (or one large dish).
• Assemble the pies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush the rim of the pie dishes with beaten egg yolk. Place the puff pastry over the top, press down to seal, and crimp the edges. Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining egg yolk for a golden finish.
• Bake: Place the pies on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is risen, golden brown, and crisp.
• Prepare the broccolini: Put 25g of butter and a splash of water in a pan. When boiling, add the broccolini and cook for 2 minutes. Serve alongside the hot pies.

Notes

• The Stock is Key: By poaching the chicken in stock and then using that same liquid to make the sauce, you layer flavor upon flavor. Do not discard the liquid!
  Cooling the Filling: If you have time, let the creamy chicken filling cool completely before putting the pastry on top. If the filling is too hot, it will melt the butter in the pastry before it hits the oven, causing a soggy bottom.
  Don’t Overwork Tarragon: Tarragon has a strong aniseed flavor. Using fresh tarragon adds a lovely brightness, but don’t add more than the recipe states or it might overpower the delicate chicken.
  Puff vs. Button Mushrooms: The recipe calls for “puff mushrooms” (puffballs) which are meaty and soft, but standard chestnut or button mushrooms work perfectly and are easier to find.