French Chicken and Mushroom Pie Recipe

Introduction

This classic French Chicken and Mushroom Pie, or Tourtes Poulet et Champignons, combines tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and a creamy béchamel sauce all encased in flaky puff pastry. It’s a comforting and elegant dish perfect for a family dinner or special occasion.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 pound cremini or shiitake mushrooms, sliced (or a mixture)
• 1 leek, white and light green parts, cut into 1 inch pieces and washed
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried thyme
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 egg yolk plus 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

Instructions

1. Step 1: Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Wash the mushrooms, trim bottoms, and slice thickly. Peel and halve the garlic clove. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet until shimmering. Add chicken and stir until no longer pink. Reduce heat to cook through without browning. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence or dried thyme. Pour in 1/4 cup water and simmer until chicken is cooked and most water evaporates, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a work bowl.
2. Step 2: In the same skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter until shimmering. Add mushrooms and garlic halves and cook, stirring, until mushrooms are soft. Discard garlic. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add mushrooms to the chicken bowl.
3. Step 3: Heat the last teaspoon of olive oil in the skillet. Add the chopped leeks and cook until wilted. Add the leeks to the chicken-mushroom mixture and stir to combine.
4. Step 4: To make the béchamel, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan until bubbly. Add flour and stir briefly. Cook over low heat for one minute. Gradually whisk in milk, increase heat, and stir constantly until sauce thickens. Simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off heat.
5. Step 5: Stir the crème fraîche and white wine into the béchamel. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Strip the leaves off the thyme sprig and stir into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add the chicken mixture and stir gently to combine.
6. Step 6: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk together egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash and set aside.
7. Step 7: Roll out one sheet of puff pastry gently to fit a 9-inch deep pie plate. Line the dish with the pastry, leaving some overhang to crimp later. Unroll the second sheet of pastry for the top crust.
8. Step 8: Spoon the chicken filling into the prepared pie shell. Place the top pastry sheet over the filling. Pinch the edges of both pastry sheets together by folding inward from the rim to form a ridge, then flute the edges to seal well.
9. Step 9: Brush the top and edges of the pie with egg wash. Cut a few small slits in the crust to allow steam to escape.
10. Step 10: Bake the pie for 45-50 minutes until golden and puffed. Serve immediately or reheat gently before serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use a mix of mushrooms like cremini and shiitake for deeper flavor.
• Make sure to seal the pastry edges well to prevent leaking during baking.
• For extra richness, substitute crème fraîche with mascarpone or add a splash of cream to the filling.
• Serve with a simple green salad for a complete meal.

Storage

Store leftover pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a low oven (around 300°F/150°C) until warmed through to keep the pastry crisp. Avoid microwaving as it can make the crust soggy.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

Yes, chicken breast works, but thighs stay moister and more flavorful in this dish.

Can I prepare this pie ahead of time?

Absolutely. Assemble the pie, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. This makes it perfect for planning ahead.

French Chicken and Mushroom Pie Recipe

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4.7 from 84 reviews

This classic French Chicken and Mushroom Pie combines tender chicken thighs, earthy mushrooms, and delicate leeks enveloped in a creamy béchamel sauce, all baked within flaky golden puff pastry. Perfect for a comforting meal, this savory tourte showcases rich flavors from herbes de Provence and fresh thyme with a luscious texture guaranteed to please.

• Author: Sana
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Chicken and Vegetables

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 pound cremini or shiitake mushrooms, sliced thickly (or a mixture)
• 1 leek, white and light green parts, cut into 1-inch pieces and washed
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried thyme
• 1/4 cup water

Béchamel Sauce

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 1 sprig fresh thyme (leaves stripped)

Pie Assembly

• 1 egg yolk plus 1 teaspoon water (for egg wash)
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (enough to line a 9-inch deep pie plate and cover)

Instructions

1. Prepare Chicken: Chop the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet until shimmering. Add chicken pieces and stir until no longer pink. Reduce heat to cook gently without browning. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and herbes de Provence or dried thyme. Pour in 1/4 cup water, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and liquid mostly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a work bowl.
2. Sauté Mushrooms and Garlic: In the same skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter until shimmering. Add the sliced mushrooms and halved garlic clove. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms become soft and tender. Discard the garlic halves. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, then combine mushrooms with the cooked chicken in the bowl.
3. Cook Leek: Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in the skillet to shimmering. Add the chopped leek pieces and cook until wilted and softened. Add the cooked leek to the chicken and mushroom mixture and mix well.
4. Make Béchamel Sauce: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over low heat. Once melted and bubbly, stir in 1 tablespoon flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Gradually add 1 cup milk while whisking to avoid lumps. Increase heat and cook while stirring until the sauce thickens and simmers gently, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
5. Finish Sauce and Combine: Stir in the crème fraîche or heavy cream, dry white wine, fresh thyme leaves, a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed. Fold the chicken, mushroom, and leek mixture into the béchamel sauce until well combined.
6. Prepare Oven and Pastry: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water to make the egg wash. Roll out one sheet of puff pastry gently to fit a 9-inch deep pie plate. Line the plate with the pastry, leaving some overhang for sealing.
7. Assemble Pie: Pour the chicken and mushroom filling into the lined pie plate, spreading evenly. Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry for the top cover. Lay it over the filling. Pinch and fold the edges of the bottom and top pastry sheets together to form a secure ridge, then flute the ridge decoratively.
8. Apply Egg Wash and Vent: Use a pastry brush to coat the top and rim of the pie with the egg wash. Cut a few shallow slits into the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
9. Bake Pie: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
10. Serve: Serve warm straight out of the oven or reheat gently if serving later. Enjoy the rich, creamy filling enclosed in flaky pastry.

Notes

• You may substitute cremini mushrooms with shiitake or any other mushrooms of your choice.
• Make sure to gently cook the chicken to avoid browning, ensuring tender meat for the filling.
• The egg wash ensures a beautifully glossy, browned crust.
• Let the pie rest a few minutes after baking to stabilize the filling before slicing.
• You can prepare the filling ahead and refrigerate before assembly to save time.
• Use fresh thyme leaves for a more aromatic flavor, but dried thyme works as well.

Keywords: French chicken pie, chicken mushroom tourte, béchamel chicken pie, puff pastry chicken pie, savory chicken pie recipe