Chicken, Leek and Orzo Pie
"A gorgeous recipe from your Tiny Budget Cookbook and great for feeding friends, I've doubled up the quantities for 4 people, but you could always halve them or keep the second serving for tomorrow's lunch. The orzo adds extra substance to a creamy chicken pie, but if you don't have any, simple white rice will also work wonders. "
Cook Time: 40 mins | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: easy
INGREDIENTS
SWAP SHOP
75g orzo pasta
75g rice
1 large onion, diced
3 spring onions
2 leeks, cut into 5 mm rounds
2 sticks celery, cut into 5 mm pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mixed herbs
salt and pepper
-
400g chicken breast, roughly sliced into 1-2 cm cubes
400g chicken meat, roughly cliced
75g sweetcorn, drained weight
75g peas, drained weight
1 tsp english mustard
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 1/2 chicken stock cubes
1 1/2 vegetable stock cubes
200ml creme fraiche
200ml double cream
100g fresh spinach
100g spring greens, roughly chopped
75g grated cheddar
75g parmesan, grated
6 sheets filo pastry
1 pack ready rolled puff pastry
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC (fan 180°C/ gas mark 6) and put on your kettle to boil.
- Add the orzo to a small saucepan and pour in 750ml boiling water. Add a pinch of salt and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until al dente.
- Meanwhile, add the onion and leek to a large saucepan along with the olive oil, bay leaf (if using), chicken, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and sweat over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the sweetcorn, mustard and crème fraiche to the pan. Stir together then add in the stock cubes and 200ml boiling water.
- When the orzo is al dente, drain and add it to the large pan. Throw in the spinach and stir until it is wilted. Finally, mix in the grated cheddar. If it is too liquid, bring to a gentle simmer until your desired consistency.
- Taste test and season with salt and pepper as needed, then pour the mixture into an oven dish.
- Take the filo pastry sheets and tear them in half. Gently scrunch each sheet as if trying to make a rose and use them to cover the pie filling. Make sure the sheets are loosely scrunched so that air can circulate and help them to crisp up.
- Bake on a low shelf in the oven for 15 minutes, and then serve.
ADDITIONS
1 Bay leaf, 4 rashers bacon
NOTES
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Have you made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
a weeknight's feast
Lunch, Dinner
