How to make a chicken pie

Dice up 6 rashers of unsmoked streaky bacon with a little bit of butter and 2 large (or 4 small) cloves of garlic on about medium heat (6/9)

Dice up a red onion

Add to mix

Add 4 peppadew peppers for a bit of "punch" according to my mum

Everything has been simmering on medium (6/9) heat for about 5-10mins

Cut up about 400g of chicken breast and throw it into the deep pan

Throw in the chicken and raise the temp to high (8/9)

Mum says "wash the board and knife!"

Either add your own stock or a stock pot. If using your own 2 or 3 large scoops is great, you want some nice chicken gravy forming.

Mum says your own stock is a lot better!

If not using your own stock; this is my mums recommend chicken stock, Knorr. If you use it. Don't add any salt later, the stock is pretty strong.

Add a small tablespoon of salt. We add quite a lot because we are a salt family. I've got HBP and an early death to look forward too.

Add a bit thyme. Dad says "herbs are dead expensive in shops. You can grow then very easily"

Add a cut of parsley.

We've added a bunch of thyme and parsley. You can add any other herbs you like. Mum recommends tarragon.

Adding a bit of pepper after the salt and herbs.

Let it simmer on med-high heat (7/9) for about 15 mins. It should sizzle in the stock. The chicken should already be cooked

Take it off the heat. And let it simmer in its own heat. I need to go buy some single cream.

Heating it back up briefly as I've just run to the supermarket for some cream

I'm making a creamy pie with single cream. But you can make a gravy one with more stock and (optional) a glug of sherry or white wine.

Adding by eye, 200ml of single cream

Boil off water to thicken and "intensify" the sauce

Done. Let it cool before you put it into your pie.

Disclaimer : normally we'd make a massive pie. But mum is making nibbles for the 6 nations so they'll be mini pies!

If you want a big pie: pour all the mix into a large ceramic pie dish. And then roll out some puff pastry over the top and heat for 20mins on 200C fan.

Or you can put shortcrust on the bottom. Cook it blind for 5 mins then add the chicken and put another layer on top. Heat on 200C fan for 25mins.

Here are the chicken cupcakes. They're basically pre heated shortcrust pastry cupcakes topped with chicken. Look at my quiche demo to see how to preheat shortcrust pastry.

Semi-sealed with more shortcrust on top. Then painted with egg

Put in the oven for 5-10mins to cook on 180C fan.

This is a pasty. Cut a circle of uncooked shortcrust. Add a large scoop of chicken mix. Then seal by pinching the sides together.

Like so

Pierce slightly to allow air flow in the oven

Paint with egg

The real deal

Delicious!!!!