Russian chicken & mushroom pies with soured cream & dill
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Russian chicken & mushroom pies with soured cream & dill

By Diana Henry

Packed with rice, chicken, veggies and a creamy sauce, these Russian-influenced pies are great for using up leftovers

  • Prep:25 mins
    Cook:50 mins
  • Serves 6
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 582
  • fat 35g
  • saturates 16g
  • carbs 44g
  • sugars 6g
  • fibre 2g
  • protein 26g
  • salt 1.06g

Ingredients

  • 125g long grain rice
  • 50g butter
  • 250g mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 175g oyster mushrooms
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 300ml milk
  • 425g cooked chicken
  • juice ½ lemon
  • 150ml pot soured cream
  • pack dill, finely chopped
  • 375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry
  • 1 egg yolk, to glaze

Tip

To make a large pie
Fill and top a large dish, roughly 26 x 22cm and 6cm deep, with the rice and chicken mix. Bake as before.Di says...
'As these pies contain both rice and pastry, a green salad or some buttery cabbage is all you’ll want with them. Use turkey instead of chicken if you like. They can be frozen (if made with fresh pastry) but don’t glaze the pies until just before cooking.'

Method

  1. Boil the rice in enough water to just cover until the rice is al dente and the liquid has been absorbed – about 10 mins. Season, then set aside.

  2. Heat a large frying pan, then add the butter. Once melted, fry the mushrooms and onion until golden. Season, add the garlic, then cook for another couple of mins. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 mins, turning the vegetables over in it. Now take the pan off the heat and gradually add the milk, stirring to incorporate every addition before you add any more. Once done, put the pan back on the heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time as the sauce thickens. Season well and let the sauce simmer so that the flour gets cooked. Stir in the cooked chicken and add the lemon juice, soured cream and dill.

  3. Spread the rice in the bottom of 6 buttered individual pie dishes, then spoon the meat and sauce on top. Leave it to cool a little. Roll out the pastry a little and cut to fit your dishes, then pop on top and press the pastry down. Trim off the excess. You can finish the pie crusts by making a long strip of pastry with the leftovers, twisting it like a rope. Moisten the edges of the pastry on the pies with water, then press on the rope of pastry. Otherwise just crimp the edges.

  4. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Make 3 slits in the centre of the pies, then brush the tops with egg yolk. Bake for 10 mins, then turn the heat down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and cook for a further 20-25 mins, until the pastry is golden and cooked.

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