French Chicken And Mushroom Pie (Tourte)
Known as a “Tourte”, this homemade French Chicken and Mushroom Pie is a comfort food classic through and through. It features two flaky sheets of puff pastry (homemade or store bought), encasing a creamy filling of mushrooms, bacon and chicken breast pieces, flavored with thyme and Dijon mustard. This is a wonderfully hearty dish, perfect for autumn or winter. What is a French “Tourte” Exactly? In France, the term “Tourte” is commonly used to designate a savory two-crusted pie. A Tourte usually includes a filling of meat and/or vegetables, encased…
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 170g each)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, divided
- 200g bacon (4 strips/7 ounces), cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 1 lbs (450g) mushrooms (cremini and/or various types), sliced
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 6 tbsp (50g) plain/all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup + 1tbsp (195ml) chicken stock (ideally, low sodium)
- 3/4 cup + 1tbsp (195ml) milk (2% minimum)
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 (13-oz [370-g]) packets ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp (15ml) milk
Instructions
- 1
Step 1 – 1 hour prior to cooking, rinse the chicken breasts under cold water and pat-dry thoroughly with paper towel. Cut them into 1-1.5 inch (2.5-3.5cm) cubes and season with salt and pepper. Set aside, at room temperature.
- 2
Step 2 - On the stove top over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan. Add the bacon and cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked and lightly crisp. Set aside, leaving the fat drippings in the pan.
- 3
Step 3 – Add the chicken cubes to the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes until mostly cooked. Set aside onto a plate and cover with foil.
- 4
Step 4 – Add one tablespoon of butter to the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms, season with black pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked and lightly browned. Set aside onto a plate.
- 5
Step 5 - Add one last tablespoon of butter to the pan. Add the garlic and onion, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until translucent. Add the flour and stir to coat the onions and garlic. Start pouring in the chicken stock very slowly, in small additions. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens – make sure there are no lumps left before you start pouring in more stock. Let the liquid simmer for a few seconds to thicken further.
- 6
Step 6 – Start pouring in the milk very slowly, in small additions. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. Stir in the Dijon mustard and thyme. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, with salt and pepper.
- 7
Step 7 – Turn the heat to low and add the bacon bits, mushrooms, and chicken pieces to the cream. Stir to coat evenly. Set aside.
- 8
Preheat your oven to 410˚F (210˚C) with a rack in the middle.
- 9
Step 8 - Line a deep 9-inch (23cm) pie dish with parchment paper. Unroll the first sheet of pastry and place it on the bottom. Don’t worry about the edges that hang over the dish. Poke the sheet all over with a fork. Pour the chicken filling into the dish and spread it out.
- 10
Step 9 - Unroll the second sheet of pastry and place it over the top of the filling. Press the edges together tightly to seal – removing any trapped air as you do so. Roll up the hanging pastry sheet edges together towards the center to create a thick, well-bound outer rim.
- 11
Whisk together the milk and the egg yolk, and brush it atop the pie. With the tip of a sharp knife, score a 1-inch (2.5cm) circle in the center of the pastry lid, for the steam to escape from while baking.
- 12
Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350˚F (180˚C) and bake for another 20 minutes, until the top looks crisp and golden.
- 13
Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.