Description
A hearty and comforting Chicken Mushroom Pie topped with beautifully piped Duchess potatoes. Tender chicken thighs and savory mushrooms are cooked in a rich Guinness and beef stock gravy, then baked under a golden, cheesy mashed potato crust for an irresistible meal perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pie Filling:
- 60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, divided into 4 portions
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp black pepper, divided
- 750 g (1.5 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 500 g (1 lb) button mushrooms (small whole, larger ones halved or quartered)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) thick cut streaky bacon, cut into 2.5 cm (1″) squares
- 1 1/2 onions, cut into 2 cm (1″) squares or thick wedges
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
- 1/4 cup plain all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Guinness beer
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium beef stock/broth
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
Mashed Potato Topping:
- 1 kg (2 lb) starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm (1″) cubes
- 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into 1.5 cm (1/2″) pieces
- 1/3 cup hot milk
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Topping:
- 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted (or olive oil spray)
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (sandy store-bought or freshly grated)
- 2 tsp finely chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Garlic Butter Mushrooms: Melt 1/4 of the butter in a large 30cm (12″) non-stick pan over high heat. Add mushrooms and toss for 3-4 minutes until browned on the surface. Add another 1/4 of the butter, toss to coat, then season with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper and half the garlic. Toss for 30 seconds until garlic is golden but mushrooms remain firm inside. Remove mushrooms to a bowl, scraping out all garlic bits.
- Sear Chicken: Sprinkle chicken thighs with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Melt another 1/4 of the butter in the same pan until hot and foamy. Sear chicken for 2 minutes on each side until golden but still raw inside. Work in batches if needed. Remove and cut into 2.5 cm (1″) pieces once cool enough to handle.
- Cook Bacon and Onion: In the same pan, add bacon and stir for 15 seconds. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes until edges are golden and slightly softened. Add remaining garlic and stir for 20 seconds.
- Deglaze with Guinness: Pour in Guinness and simmer rapidly while scraping the pan base to loosen browned bits. Continue simmering until liquid reduces by about 75%.
- Make Sauce: Lower heat to medium, add remaining butter and let melt. Sprinkle flour evenly and stir for 1 minute to form a paste. Gradually pour in half the stock while stirring to avoid lumps. Add remaining stock, water, tomato paste, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer with Mushrooms: Add mushrooms and accumulated juices back into the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes until liquid thickens to a gravy and mushrooms soften while you prepare mashed potatoes.
- Thicken Sauce and Add Chicken: Add chicken along with its juices and simmer 2-3 more minutes until gravy thickens enough to leave a clear trail when the pan is scraped. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Assemble Pie: Pour filling into a 1.5 to 2-liter (6-8 cup) baking dish and smooth surface.
- Preheat Oven: Set oven to 200°C (390°F) or 180°C (fan forced).
- Prepare Duchess Potato Topping: Pipe swirls of mashed potato over filling using a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Mounds should be about 4.5 cm base diameter and 4 cm tall, filling gaps with smaller blobs. Use all the mash. Drizzle melted butter and sprinkle Parmesan over the top.
- Bake: Bake pie for 30 minutes, rotating the pan at the 20-minute mark to ensure even browning.
- Serve: Let pie rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
- Make Mashed Potatoes: Boil potatoes in cold water for 15 minutes until soft. Drain and mash or rice for a smooth texture. Mix in butter, hot milk, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp white pepper until creamy but firm enough to hold shape when piped.
Notes
- Note 1: Salt quantities are divided to season each main ingredient appropriately throughout cooking for balanced flavor.
- Note 2: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for tenderness and flavor; skinless keeps the gravy less greasy.
- Note 3: Guinness adds depth and subtle bitterness to the gravy; can substitute with stout if needed.
- Note 4: Starchy potatoes such as Russets yield fluffy mash ideal for piping and browning.
- Note 5: Baking dish size should be about 1.5 to 2 liters capacity to fit the filling and topping comfortably.
- Note 6: If you don’t have a piping bag, dollop mashed potato mounds with a spoon and shape with the back of a fork for texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/6 of pie)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
