Chicken, leek and asparagus pie recipe

1. Halve the leeks, wash and roughly slice the green part and finely slice the white part. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus, then finely slice the stalks, leaving the tips whole. Put the green parts of the leek and the asparagus ends into a large deep pan with a pinch of sea salt, sit the chicken on top and cover with cold water. Place the pan over a high heat and bring just to the boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, skimming off any scum that rises to the top, for 1 hr or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Lift the chicken out onto a board and allow to cool.

2. Bring the poaching stock to the boil. Shred the chicken and set aside, discarding the skin, then add the bones and carcass to the pan and boil for 20 mins.

3. Meanwhile, place a large, deep frying pan on a medium-low heat with 1 tbsp olive oil, add the remaining leeks and finely sliced asparagus, and cook for 10 mins until softened. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min.

4. Strain the chicken stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, then gradually add to the frying pan, stirring, until smooth. Simmer until thickened and season to taste.

5. Strain the filling through a colander into a large bowl (save this to serve as a delicious gravy later) and leave to cool completely. Roughly chop the tarragon and stir through the cooled mixture with the cooked chicken, asparagus tips, soured cream and mustard. (At this point you could put the filling in the fridge, ready to assemble the following day.)

6. Preheat the oven to gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C. Lightly grease a 22cm pie dish with olive oil. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to just a few millimetres thick, then use it to line the dish – allowing the excess pastry to hang over the sides. Spoon in the filling, then roll out the remaining third of the pastry the same way and lay over the top. Trim the edges, then seal with your thumb and finger or a fork and make a small incision in the centre to let the steam escape. Brush with egg or milk, if you like, and bake at the bottom of the oven for 30 mins or until golden. Heat the reserved pie gravy to pour over. Delicious served with peas and mashed potato.

Food waste tip: Mix any leftover soured cream with lemon juice, mustard and soft herbs – you could also use any leftover tarragon, if you like – and use to dress cooked new potatoes.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

See more Jamie Oliver recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.