This Mary Berry Chicken and Mushroom Pie is a creamy and comforting recipe, which features tender chicken and earthy mushrooms in a rich, savory white wine and thyme sauce, all encased in a buttery pastry. It’s the ultimate family dinner or a perfect centerpiece for a casual dinner party, ready in about an hour and a half.
Mary Berry Chicken and Mushroom Pie Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 1 x 320g sheet of ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
- 1 medium free-range egg, beaten (for egg wash)
For the Filling:
- 50g (¼ cup) butter
- 1 large onion or 2 leeks, finely chopped
- 250g (9 oz) chestnut or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 50g (⅓ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 150ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine (optional)
- 400ml (1 ¾ cups) hot chicken stock
- 150ml (⅔ cup) double cream or heavy whipping cream
- 500g (about 3 cups) cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- A small bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Mary Berry Chicken and Mushroom Pie
- Prep the Oven and Sauté the Base: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan, Gas Mark 6). In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion or leeks and cook gently for about 10 minutes, until very soft and sweet but not browned.
- Cook the Mushrooms and Make the Sauce: Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes, until they are golden and have released their liquid. Stir the flour into the vegetable mixture and cook for one minute to create a roux.
- Build the Sauce: If using, pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, letting it bubble and reduce for a minute while you scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom. Gradually pour in the hot chicken stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, until you have a smooth sauce.
- Finish the Filling and Cool: Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for 3-4 minutes until it has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the double cream, the cooked chicken, the chopped parsley, and the thyme leaves. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Crucially, let the filling cool completely.
- Assemble the Pie: Pour the cooled filling into a 1.2-litre (approximately 9-inch round) pie dish.
- Top with Pastry and Bake: Lay the sheet of puff pastry over the top of the pie dish. Trim the excess pastry from around the edges with a sharp knife and use a fork to crimp the edges to seal. You can use the off-cuts to create decorative leaves for the top.
- Bake Until Golden: Brush the entire pastry top with the beaten egg wash. Cut a small steam vent in the center of the lid. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up, a deep golden brown, and the filling is piping hot. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- How to get a non-soggy bottom? The most important secret is to cool the filling completely before you top it with the pastry. Placing hot filling under raw pastry will create steam, which is the number one cause of a soggy, undercooked lid.
- How to get a perfectly golden, flaky crust? A generous brush of egg wash all over the pastry before it bakes is the key to a beautiful, shiny, golden-brown finish. The high initial oven temperature also helps the puff pastry to rise quickly and create flaky layers.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely! This pie is a perfect make-ahead meal. You can make the filling completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Then, simply assemble the pie and bake it when you’re ready for dinner.
- What’s the best chicken to use for a pie? This is a fantastic recipe for using up leftovers! The meat from a leftover Sunday roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken is perfect and a great time-saver.
What To Serve With Chicken and Mushroom Pie
This is a classic British comfort food meal that is a complete dish on its own. It is traditionally served with simple sides:
- Creamy mashed potatoes.
- Steamed green vegetables, like green beans, broccoli, or peas.
- A simple side of glazed carrots.
How To Store Chicken and Mushroom Pie
- Refrigerate: Cover leftovers tightly with foil or transfer to an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, though the pastry will soften.
- Reheat: For the best results, reheat slices of the pie on a baking sheet in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15-20 minutes, until the filling is hot and the pastry has crisped up again.
Chicken and Mushroom Pie Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1/6th of pie
- Calories: 720 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Protein: 48g
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Sodium: 1250mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes. While a store-bought all-butter puff pastry is a fantastic shortcut, this pie is also delicious with a homemade shortcrust pastry lid, or even a full pie with a shortcrust base and a puff pastry top.
Absolutely. To make a delicious vegetarian version, simply omit the chicken and increase the amount of mushrooms to about 600g. A mix of different mushrooms like cremini, shiitake, and oyster would be fantastic. Be sure to use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
A thin sauce is usually the result of not cooking the roux (the butter and flour mixture) for long enough, or not letting the final sauce simmer and thicken before you add the main ingredients.
Try More Recipes:
- Mary Berry Paprika Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Mary Berry Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe
- Mary Berry Chicken Wrapped in Parma Ham Recipe
Mary Berry Chicken and Mushroom Pie Recipe
Description
A classic and comforting pie featuring tender chicken and mushrooms in a creamy white wine sauce, all topped with a flaky, golden-brown puff pastry lid.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C Fan).
- In a large skillet, melt the butter and gently cook the onion/leek for 10 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, then gradually whisk in the hot chicken stock until you have a smooth sauce.
- Simmer for 3-4 minutes to thicken, then remove from the heat and stir in the cream, chicken, and herbs. Season well and let the filling cool completely.
- Pour the cooled filling into a pie dish.
- Top with the sheet of puff pastry, trim and crimp the edges, and cut a steam vent.
- Brush the entire top with a beaten egg wash.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and deeply golden.
Notes
- Cool the Filling: The most important tip for this recipe is to let the filling cool completely before topping with the pastry. This is the non-negotiable secret to a crispy, not soggy, puff pastry lid.
- Use a Hot Oven: A hot oven is essential for getting the best “puff” from your puff pastry. Make sure your oven is fully preheated.
