Comfort food at its best. The chicken is first poached in water infused with thyme and garlic, mixed with carrots, mushrooms, peas onions and celery. Then flavoursome poaching stock is then used as a base for the velvet cream sauce. All mixed together and topped with a piece of pastry. What more can you ask for from weeknight comfort food? Happy cooking xx

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed of most of the fat
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed of most of the fat
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of most of the fat
• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, sliced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, bruised
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 85 g unsalted butter
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 75 g  all-purpose flour
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 1.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
• 1 large egg, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.
2. Place chicken, chopped onion, celery, and chopped carrots in a large stockpot; season with salt and pepper and enough water to cover. Add thyme and garlic to the  pot. Cover pot and place over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 25 minutes. Add the peas and allow to boil for 3-5 minuts.
3. Strain, keeping the vegetables,  chicken and liquids separate; let cool and set aside.
4. Heat 10g  butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes; let cool.
5. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and place in a large nonreactive bowl along with the vegetables  and mushrooms; set aside.
6. In a medium skillet, heat remaining 75g butter. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and heavy cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce; season with salt and white pepper. Add to bowl with chicken and vegetables; toss to combine.
7. Divide mixture evenly between four  shallow baking dishes (or if you like, one large family sized baking dish). Cut puff pastry into circles large enough to cover your dishes (I like to cut a circle into the centre of the puff pastry at this point rather than a cutting a slit later, but this is up to you) and place on top of each of the bowls, crimping edges as desired. Cut a slit in the centre of each piece of puff pastry to allow steam to escape; brush beaten egg over puff pastry.
8. Transfer bowls to a baking sheet. Bake until puff pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
9. I suggest placing the baking dish into another plate before  bringing it to the table

Happy cooking xx