Trust me on this — it sounds odd, but it works! Back in December 2008, on a road trip from Pretoria to Cape Town, we stopped in Bloemfontein to visit my Gran’s brother and his wife. They served chicken pie topped with potato chips. My sister and I were sceptical… until the first bite. Crispy, creamy, weirdly perfect — it’s been a delicious memory ever since.

Old fashioned chicken pie with a twist 

Serves 8 

Ingredients

1 whole (1.6kg) chicken, giblets removed
2 onions, chopped
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
½ cup (125ml) dry white wine (optional)
3 whole allspice berries
3 whole cloves
10 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp (30ml) sago
1 Tbsp (15ml) butter
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbsp (45ml) lemon juice
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced
6-8 slices ham, cubed
Parsley, finely chopped
Salt and milled pepper
80g Chutney or Cheese & onion potato chips, crushed 

Method

1. Place the chicken, onions, stock and wine in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Using a muslin cloth (or clean, thin kitchen cloth) tie together the spices and bay leaves, making a bouquet garni. Add bouquet garni to the pot and simmer with a lid on for 1 hour or until the chicken falls off the bone.
3. Remove the chicken and bouquet garni from the cooking liquid.
4. Add the sago and butter to the cooking liquid and simmer for about 15-20 minutes on a medium-low heat or until the sago is cooked and the sauce has thickened.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C.
6. Shred the chicken and discard the skin and bones.
7. Whisk together the beaten egg, lemon juice and ½ cup of the sauce.
8. Add the chicken and the egg mixture into the sauce and stir.
9. Turn off heat then add diced eggs, ham and parsley. Season.
10. Place the filling into an oven-proof pie dish and top with chips.
11. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until bubbling hot. Serve hot out of the oven with starchy side of choice.

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Deconstructed chicken pies with peanut butter

The post Old-fashioned chicken pie with a twist  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Wow the crowd at your next potluck party! These 4 crowd-pleasing and easy-to-share dishes are guaranteed to get everyone talking (and asking for the recipe) at your next festive gathering. 

Halloumi & melon summer salad  

Serves 6

Bulk up this meal by serving with couscous, bulgur wheat or brown rice.  

Ingredients  

For the balsamic vinaigrette  

¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 
2 tsp wholegrain mustard 
1 clove garlic, minced 
2 tsp honey    

For the salad 

Oil, for frying
1 block (300g) halloumi, thinly sliced
1 packet (40g) rocket
350g exotic mixed tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced 
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into ribbons
2 blocks feta, crumbled
½ red onion, sliced into petals 
1 papaya, peeled and sliced into thin wedges 
5–8 radishes, thinly sliced   

Method 

1. Combine balsamic vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.
2. Add oil to a hot pan and fry halloumi until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper. 
3. Combine remaining ingredients on a serving platter and season. Top with crispy halloumi and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette just before serving.

Phyllo chicken pie 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 2 hours 10 minutes 

Ingredients 

Olive oil
750g chicken thighs
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken stock
¼ cup chopped golden raisins
2 Tbsp chopped coriander
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
½ cup almonds, toasted and chopped
400g phyllo pastry
½ cup melted butter 

Method 

1. Heat oil in a pan and brown the chicken thighs. Set aside.
2. In a separate pot, heat oil and fry the onion until soft. Add ginger, cinnamon and turmeric, and fry for 2 minutes. Add flour and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add stock, raisins, coriander, parsley and the chicken, along with any oil and pan juices. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, until the chicken falls off the bone and the liquid has reduced. Remove chicken skins and bones.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C.
5. Place the chicken mixture in a baking dish and scatter with the almonds. Layer 10 phyllo sheets over the top, spreading generous amounts of butter between each sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden.

No-bake stovetop beef lasagne 

Serves 4 // Total time 1 hour 

Ingredients

Glug of olive oil  
1 onion, chopped 
500g beef mince  
Salt and milled pepper 
1 Tbsp crushed garlic  
2 Tbsp tomato paste  
½ tsp chilli flakes  
1 tsp smoked paprika  
1 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs  
8–10 lasagne sheets, par-cooked 
1 jar (400g) tomato passata or 1 can (400g) tomato purée  
1 ½ cups beef stock  
Juice and zest of 1 lemon  
½ cup each grated mozzarella and cheddar  
Fresh basil leaves, for serving    

Method   

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and fry onion for 5 minutes or until soft.  
2. Add mince, breaking into small chunks. Allow mince to caramelise for 5–10 minutes (don’t stir), then season well.  
3. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, chilli flakes, paprika and herbs, and cook for 5 minutes.  
4. Add par-cooked lasagne sheets, tomato passata or purée and stock.  
5. Press the pasta sheets into the liquid to submerge, and bring to a boil.  
6. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes. (Make sure the pasta is always covered in sauce and not sitting on top.)  
7. Stir in lemon juice and zest, top with cheese and season.  
8. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.  
9. Serve straight from the pan, garnished with fresh basil. 

 Summer trifle with a twist  

Total time 30 minutes // Serves 10–12

Ingredients  

2 packets (80g each) peach jelly 
2 (350g each) madeira cake layers, cut into squares 
2 100g punnets raspberries + extra for serving
1L custard 
5 yellow-flesh nectarines, quartered + extra slices for serving 
375ml cream 
110g caster sugar 
3ml vanilla essence   

Method  

1. Prepare jelly according to packet instructions and set in a 3L trifle bowl. 
2. Top with half the madeira cake squares and half the raspberries. 
3. Pour custard over cake and layer with remaining cake and raspberries, then nectarines. 
4. Whisk together cream, caster sugar and vanilla to firm peaks and spoon onto fruit. 
5. Serve topped with extra raspberries and nectarines.

The post 4 dishes to bring to your next potluck party appeared first on MyKitchen.

Up your chicken pie game with the addition of something we all love to snack on… Mini Cheddars! This recipe come courtesy of our reader, Rochelle Stemmet.

SERVES 4–6 // COOK TIME 25-35 min

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp butter, plus to grease
1 green pepper, seeded 
and sliced
250g mushrooms, quartered
3 tbsp flour
150 ml chicken stock
½ cup cream
Squeeze of lemon juice
Pinch of tarragon
12 chicken breast fillets, cooked
 and chopped
33g packet bacon Mini Cheddars, crushed
1 cup grated cheddar
½ × 400g roll puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, beaten

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease a large ovenproof dish.
2. Blanch the green pepper in a pot of boiling water, with salt for 2–3 minutes. Drain. Put the pepper in cold water and drain again.
3. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add mushrooms and sauté for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Melt remaining butter in another pot. Add flour and cook slowly over a low heat until the mixture is straw-coloured. Add chicken stock, and turn the heat up. Stir constantly until simmering. Add cream and reduce until the sauce has a syrupy consistency. Add lemon juice and tarragon.
5. Remove the pot from the heat. Add cooked peppers, mushrooms, chicken and mix it all together.
6. Pour the chicken mixture into an ovenproof dish. Add the Mini Cheddars and cheese and give it a mix.
7. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface, to a thickness of about 
1 cm. Place over the filling and trim edges. (Optional: use trimmings to make shapes for the top of the pie)
8. Stab holes with a knife into the pastry 
for the steam to escape. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg.
9. Bake 
for 25–35 minutes.

Want something else that is also warm and comforting? Then try our corn and mushroom chowder recipe.

The post Home-made Chicken and Mini Cheddar Pie appeared first on MyKitchen.

This is the perfect dish to serve up if you are expecting people over this weekend. A comforting chicken pie gets an impressive, yet easy and fancy makeover. This creamy, luxurious pie will definitely be one to take centre stage at your next gathering.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 100 mins

METHOD
400g roll shortcrust pastry
2 tbsp olive oil
3 spring onions, sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
2 chicken breast fillets, sliced
200g goat’s milk cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 red chilli, chopped
Salt and pepper
3 eggs
100 ml cream
3 baby marrows, thinly sliced

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll out pastry on a floured surface to about 2 mm thick.
2. Grease a rectangular quiche tin and line with the pastry. Prick all over the base with a fork and trim any excess pastry from the edges. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the spring onions and pepper until soft, 5 minutes.
4. In another pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the chicken until cooked through and golden, about 5–7 minutes.
5. Combine the chicken and vegetables, and add the cheese, mint and chilli. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Remove the pastry from the fridge and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Spread the filling evenly over the pastry.
7. In a bowl, combine the eggs, cream and 1 tsp salt. Pour the egg mixture over the pie filling and return to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, until the egg is set around the edges.
8. Remove from the oven and arrange the baby marrow slices in a lattice pattern on top.
9. Return to the oven for 5–10 minutes, until the baby marrow is slightly golden. Remove from the oven and serve.

The post Baby marrow, goat’s milk cheese and chicken pie appeared first on MyKitchen.

Cream cheese, chicken, fresh herbs, fragrant spices and, of course, buttery puff pastry is what Friday night dinner dreams are made of. And in the words of the creator herself, ‘You slice through the buttery, crispy pastry, revealing the hidden treasure that lies within… It’s the stuff of poetry.’

What are you waiting for?

The post Heather’s Cuban chicken plait appeared first on MyKitchen.