Chicken & Leek Filo Pie

[judydawn]

Name of Recipe: Chicken & Leek Filo Pie - adapted from a recipe in Super Food Ideas
Number of People: 4 serves
Ingredients:
1 large leek sliced in half lengthwise. Make sure the stalk is free of dirt before cutting into 5cm pieces.
30g butter
1 tblspns oil
2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
300g chicken stock
800g chicken thighs, defatted weight.  Cut into 4 cm pieces.
150g baby spinach leaves
S & P to taste
8 sheet filo pastry
60g butter extra

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 200^o C.
Place the cut leeks into the TM bowl and chop for 2 sec/speed 5.
Scrape down sides and add the first amount of butter and the oil.
Saute 6 mins/varoma temp/reverse/speed 1/MC off. Scrape down sides halfway through.
Stir in the flour, cook 1 min/100^o/reverse/speed 2.
Add stock and chicken.  Cook 20 mins/100^o/reverse/speed 1.
Stir in spinach and pour mixture into a 17 x 27 x 5cm ovenproof dish.
The meal can be prepared to this stage then refrigerated until required.
Melt the remaining butter.
Layer 4 pieces of filo, brushing each layer with the melted butter.
Roll up from the long side and cut into 2cm wide strips.
Repeat this procedure with the remaining 4 pieces of filo.
Arrange pastry rosettes, cut side up on top of casserole (don't push them down into the casserole, just sit them on top) If there is any butter remaining, brush it on top of the rosettes.
Bake until pastry is golden and crunchy - 20 mins to 30 mins - and the chicken is heated through.
Serve with steamed vegies and mashed potato.


Photos:

Tips/Hints:

You can use oil spray instead of butter on the filo pastry if you are watching your weight.

[dede]

This looks really nice Judy. To tell you the truth I have never cooked with Leek before ever. I have never even made Leek soup. I cant even tell you if I like it. I really think its time I should try it as there are alot of recipes using leek that look nice. I putting Leek on my shopping list this week just to say I have tried it. Fingers crossed that the kids like it. (Probably not)

[judydawn]

You will notice I really cooked the leeks well Mandi before adding the other ingredients because I find if you don't you get a raw leeky taste which I don't like.  For your first try, use a smaller leek maybe if you do this recipe. Mine wasn't the biggest in the supermarket.  You never use the upper part of the leek, just the white & light green section.It did not have a strong leek flavour, it was quite subtle really.

[Decadent Dot]

I was just looking through one of my books for ideas and came across mushroom and leek tart also made with Filo pastry. I told myself that I should really use up the chicken I bought. I open here and your chicken and leek tart popped out at me. I love the combination of chicken and leek and also the idea of a healthy choice. I have pasted it into my Diet-pro software because I know that I will use it often.
Dot

[judydawn]

This tasted even better when we ate the leftovers DD.  I would certainly share this one to visitors.

[achookwoman]

Judy,  looks good.  Love the use of Filo for pies,  kid myself that it isn't so fattening

[judydawn]

It does feel lighter in the old tum Chookie. I used butter this time but will spray between layers next time and maybe just brush the top with butter before baking.

[EmeraldSue]

Judy,

I just wanted to say how delicious this pie was. I made it for Mothers Day lunch and it was universally loved. My 2yo niece was sitting next to me and kept asking for more. I increased the quantity, so I actually cooked it on the stovetop, I added some of Tenia's caramelised garlic paste and omitted the spinach. I also used Tenia's chicken stock powder that I made last week. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for a very tasty recipe

[SuzieG]

Made this tonight Mmmmmmmmmm.....

Variations: added some bacon and garlic in with the leeks at the beginning.  Added some dried thyme with the chicken.  Mixture was Very runny for me, but I only had 500g of chicken so I should have reduced the stock.

Didn't have FILO either so I just used store bought puff pastry on the top.

Great recipe thanks Judy will def be making again.

[judydawn]

Thanks for the reviews ES & SuzieG - it has always gone down well with visitors in this house.

[obbie]

I love leeks, have heaps cut up in the freezer.

 I can make this for tomorrow nites dinner.

[cookie1]

Ooh another one I missed. It's on Evernote to make now.

[Greyhoundmum]

I loved this recipe JD!  I didn't have much chicken so I added a clove of garlic and some bacon with the leeks. I then added with tHe chicken half red capsicum one carrot and some mushrooms then cooked as per the rest of your recipe. Served over mash, I do mine as per the Nico recipe, only thing I did wrong was I left all 8 sheets of the FILO together so not quite enough rosettes. I did mine in large ramekins and it made  7

[judydawn]

Thanks GHM, this is one recipe I haven't forgotten but just never seem to get back to doing it regularly.  It gets better with age too as most TMX casserole type dishes do.

[Amy :-)]

I made this for mum and SD tonight. For a start, I had to use puff pastry because Coles didn't have ANY filo at all But I got over that easily enough I added some bacon because I didn't have quite enough chicken, and I also added some corn kernels.
Mum and SD really enjoyed it. Mum said it was very tasty

Thanks for the recipe Judy