Roasting chicken wrapped in aluminium foil ensures tender, juicy results with minimal effort. Infusing the chicken with butter, lemon, and herbs makes for a moist, flavourful base for this comforting pie. This recipe works equally well with whole chicken or chicken breasts, allowing for versatility in preparation.
This Easy Chicken Pie recipe has everything you need in a comfort food meal. With tasty meat, extra veggies, creamy sauce, a light topping, this is an ideal go-to homemade pie recipe that’s simple yet satisfying.
Shredded Chicken Pie with Lemon and Thyme
This Easy Chicken Pie recipe has everything you need in a comfort food meal.
Ingredients
For Roasting the Chicken:
- 1 whole chicken or chicken breasts
- freshly ground salt and pepper
- butter as needed
- 2 lemons halved
- 1 Juice of lemon
- 2 tsps herbs
- foil enough to wrap the chicken
For the Chicken Pie Filling:
- 2 tins creamy mushroom soup
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp large butter
- 200g mushrooms sliced
- 15ml fresh thyme or dried
- 1 cup mixed frozen vegetables
- reserved chicken juices from roasting
- additional chiken broth to make 2 cups in total
For the Pie Crust: (Double the recipe for a large dish)
- 125ml oil
- 125ml milk
- 200ml flour (selfraising) or flour with added 2tsps baking powder
- 1 large egg beaten with a little water
Method:
- Roasting the Chicken:
- Boneless Chicken Breasts: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake for 25–30 minutes, ensuring the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) when tested with a meat thermometer. Whole Chicken: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Roast for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Check that the thickest part of the chicken (usually the thigh) also reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C).
- Prepare Foil Packets: Tear foil sheets large enough to seal the chicken and ingredients. Lightly spray or oil the foil to prevent sticking. Use non-stick foil if available.
- Tips for Success Foil Use: Ensure the foil is tightly sealed to lock in moisture. Non-stick foil or lightly greased regular foil prevents sticking. Juices: Collect any juices from the foil packets to use in the pie filling for added flavour.
- Season and Prepare Chicken: For a whole chicken: Stuff halved lemons in the cavity. Rub butter under the skin and all over the chicken. Drizzle lemon juice, season with salt, pepper, and herbs. For chicken breasts: Top each piece with butter, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and herbs.
- Seal and Bake: Wrap the chicken in foil to form packets. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to check doneness.
- Cool and Shred: Allow to cool slightly, then shred the chicken, reserving the cooking juices.
- Prepare Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of broth (reserved juices plus extra chicken broth), butter, and flour. Bring to a boil, stirring until slightly thickened.
- Assemble the Dish: Place shredded chicken in a greased casserole dish. Stir-fry mushrooms in butter and layer over the chicken. Add thyme and defrosted vegetables. Pour the prepared broth mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
- Preparing the Pie Crust: Mix Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk oil, milk, flour (and baking powder, if using), and beaten egg until smooth and slightly runny. Adjust with more egg or milk if too thick. Spread Crust: Pour the crust mixture evenly over the chicken filling.
- Bake the Pie: Bake for 15 minutes for a single crust or 30 minutes if using a double crust. Bake until the crust is golden brown and cooked through.