Mary Berry's chicken and bacon pie has become a favourite among home cooks, with over 20 five-star reviews on BBC Food. The recipe, perfect for British Pie Week, serves six and can be prepared up to two days in advance, making it ideal for entertaining.
The pie features a creamy chicken and bacon filling topped with an impressive pastry lattice. For a simpler version, just use a sheet of puff pastry. The recipe begins by poaching chicken legs with celery, bay leaves, wine, and stock until tender, then stripping the meat from the bones.
The sauce is made by cooking bacon and onion, then creating a roux with butter and flour, gradually adding the reserved cooking liquid. Crème fraîche and mustard are stirred in before folding in the chicken and celery. The filling is cooled and chilled for 30 minutes.
For the lattice, puff pastry sheets are rolled thin and cut into strips, which are woven on baking paper. After chilling, the lattice is placed over the filling, and the pie is baked at 200°C (180°C Fan) for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.
