Chicken!

In the US Perdue chickens come in the supermarkets with a pop up timer installed. This is to ensure you do not over cook the chicken. My mother would never trust these timers and on occasion completely ruined a whole chicken.

One notable time the cats wouldn't even eat the chicken.

So to say I can actually cook chicken isn't a big deal, it's just I use a timer and make sure I don't over cook. You know, following the instructions sometimes does work ;)

I found two things that really go well with chicken, tarragon and leek. I don't think I'd ever had leek before last year and hadn't a clue what tarragon was. However I purchased an english pie recipe book and one of the recipes has become my favorite.

Chicken, Leek and Tarragon Pie

1.5 to 2 lbs cooked and shredded chicken
1 carrot chopped
2 celery sticks chopped (optional)
2 onions chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 leeks sliced
200 ml stock
150 ml white wine
2tbsp plain flour
150 ml single cream or milk
pepper to taste
2 tsp tarragon (this is an estimate I just dash)
1 short crust pastry (I tend to use the stuff that you just mix water to)


In a medium sauce pan, simmer 1 onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes. Add half the tarragon.

Add in stock, bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

In another frying pan gently cook leeks and remaining onion with butter for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to high add the wine and simmer rapidly for 3-4 minutes until reduced by half. Stir in the flour mix well for 1 minute. Pour in the cream and about 150 ml of the stock. Add in a bit of pepper.

Mix both batches with the shredded chicken and add to the prepared pie shell.

Place pie top over. (optional - you can brush a beaten egg over the top for a better pie top)

Bake at 180 for 30 minutes.