Don’t ever presume that the whole of a dish needs to be slow-cooked. There are many recipes that can be part slow-cooked and then finished off in the oven. The laborious part of the dish can be dealt with by your slow cooker as you go about your daily business. As the ‘Why Don’t You‘ crew always said ‘Go do something less boring instead‘.
As a fanatical meal planner, yesterday’s dinner was planned and already on the board.
Simple Slow Cooked Chicken and Mushroom Pie
You will need:
2 x Chicken Breasts (I use free-range) – cut into cubes of equal size
A good handful of Mushrooms (as many or as little as you like) – chopped
1 x Onion – chopped
2 x Garlic Cloves – crushed
Black Pepper and Dried Thyme (or other herbs) to season
Pastry is also required for after the chicken is slow cooked. This can be home-made or shop bought. I cheated yesterday and topped mine with shop bought puff pastry (not shown). I haven’t yet cracked home-made puff pastry. You will also need a handful of gravy granules to thicken the casserole before oven-cooking.
Put all of the above ingredients (minus the puff pastry and granules!) in a standard slow-cooker (crock pot).
I’m a rough and ready cook – hence I’m not really into measuring exact amounts when cooking for the family. I’d suggest 6 grinds of black pepper and approx. 1 teaspoon (5ml) of herbs. But just go with what tastes right for you. You can always add more after cooking.
Add enough hot water to almost cover the ingredients in the pot. They should not be immersed and definitely not floating in the water. The ingredients will reduce in size as they cook and also will release water of their own, so the fluid will increase gradually. See below for an idea of the amount I added.
Pop the lid on, turn the pot temperature to low and leave for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 8 hours. Because the pie will be finished off in the oven at a high temperature the chicken will be sufficiently cooked even if only slow-cooked for 4 hours on low.
When ready to go in the oven, add a handful of gravy granules to the pot and stir to thicken the liquid. Then pour all of the cooked chicken casserole into an oven proof dish.
Top with your pastry, and cut into the top a couple of air holes so the steam can escape. I brush my pastry with a little olive oil rather than egg. It always seemed a waste of an egg to me.
Pop in a pre-heated oven on high. I have a UK electric fan-oven, so it’s about 200 degrees celsius for me (would this be almost 400 degrees fahrenheit in the US?). The pastry should rise and turn golden brown in approximately 20 minutes.
To serve add loads of veggies!
This dish is one I have been making for 10 years, although I have only been part slow-cooking it for the last 3. It was originally inspired by a Weight Watchers Steak and Ale Pie recipe from their Pure Points Cookbook 2002. (*n.b. there are no affiliate links in this post). It will serve 2 adults and 2 young children, or 2 adults if you like generous portion sizes.
2002 was the year I got married, and I’d piled on the pounds over the previous couple of years, coincidentally since moving in with the Hubby-to-be! I joined Weight Watchers in January 2002 and lost 24lbs in 4 months (well in time for my August nuptials).
(oh the days before digital photography…I’ve had to photo a printed photo…)
*Don’t forget that as tempting as it may be to lift the lid and have a stir or a sniff of the lovely aroma, that everytime you do it will increase cooking time by 20 minutes. Reduce the need to stir by always ensuring that you have stirred well when adding everything initially.
** Please note that I am not a qualified nutritionist or professional cook. My recipes are what I put together at home and all amounts etc… are approximate. What I write is my own experience of cooking the recipe. Ovens and ingredients do vary – just go with it, have fun and apply common sense at all times! Practise makes perfect!
Will definitely make this recipe in the upcoming month! Thanks for posting the photo! How would you say your health and eating habits are now, compared to then?
I’ve always been quite conscious of what I eat, even when living at home during my teenage years. And I always cooked from an early age. The issues arose after leaving home and then cooking for two. Portion control was a problem, and we also ate out a lot. As with everything, I have days when I eat fantastically healthily and days when I don’t. I try and apply the 80/20 rule to most of my life – I reckon I can get away with a bit of reckless eating if the majority of the time I don’t…
Will definitely make this recipe in the upcoming month! Thanks for posting the photo! How would you say your health and eating habits are now, compared to then?
I’ve always been quite conscious of what I eat, even when living at home during my teenage years. And I always cooked from an early age. The issues arose after leaving home and then cooking for two. Portion control was a problem, and we also ate out a lot. As with everything, I have days when I eat fantastically healthily and days when I don’t. I try and apply the 80/20 rule to most of my life – I reckon I can get away with a bit of reckless eating if the majority of the time I don’t…
Wow. This recipe sounds delicious! I would need to swap the pie crust for a GF version. I’m definitely going to try this!
I love your wedding photo Jo! What a gorgeous couple. 🙂
Cheers Jenny. I’m making this pie next week with shortcrust and just for the fun of it (:-)) I may go gluten free!
Wow. This recipe sounds delicious! I would need to swap the pie crust for a GF version. I’m definitely going to try this!
I love your wedding photo Jo! What a gorgeous couple. 🙂
Cheers Jenny. I’m making this pie next week with shortcrust and just for the fun of it (:-)) I may go gluten free!
I love this recipe Jo!! I have just put my slow cooker on to make scouse, it is baltic here today so a perfect winter warmer. I’m really loving my slow cooker at the moment. I am (hopefully) starting uni in April so i have been training my hubby on how best to use it. I’ve just told him about the lifting of the lid so there should be no excuses as to why my dinner will not be on the table when i walk through the door lol.
Your wedding photo is lovley, just out of interest what did you do with your dress? I still have mine, but i can’t zip it up 🙁 we married in June 2000 with just our 3 boys and 2 witnesses there due to family fall outs and interferance, but i got to say i really feel like i missed out on the whole ‘big day’ thing. Your wedding looks perfect!
Sharron x
I’ve yet to make scouse – but it’s on the list! It was on ‘Come Dine With Me’. Glad to hear about the Uni course – fingers crossed eh?
Ref the wedding, we did do the big traditional wedding. You can probably tell by the dress. Now there’s a story behind that dress. April 2001 I walked past a bridal shop (to get to a cake decorating one!) and saw it in the window. Then a bizarre thing happened. I went in and pretended I was getting married, which at the time there were no plans to. Very unlike me. Tried it on. Then forgot all about it. July 2001 out of the blue the proposal came, I accepted and within a week had the exact same dress hanging in my guest bedroom. It was a sample dress, it fitted and it was reduced in price! The dress is in the loft. I’ve deliberated what to do with it, common sense says get rid. It’s not saleable as on our wedding day we had thunderstorms and torrential rain (aka mudbath) – well it was August in the UK, what did we expect? It’s rather badly stained on the bottom, even though it’s been cleaned. The jury is out at the mo. As I said common sense is saying get rid. Your wedding sounds lovely, every wedding is perfect just the way you want it… if I did it again (no plans however) it would be very different. 10 years down the line and 2 kids later I’d be going much simpler. But saying that, at that time, at that stage of life and age it was spot on for me, for who I was then.
Reminds me of a saying my gran used to say ‘Buy the dress and the occassion will arise’. Your spot on about the wedding, it was the right wedding for who we were then. I saw it much more as marrying the father of my children and having the same surname as them. What i hear you scream you didn’t marry for love? Yes i love him deeply, i just didn’t need to get married to show that. It was much more about what was right for our family.
I vaugley remember scouse being done on come dine with me, but i don’t remember it too well. It was lovely, and my lovely hubby remarked that even though we have lived together for 19 years, this was the first time we have had scouse!! Thing is it was often seen as a poor man’s dish made with mutton, and i never really liked the thought of it. Took me all these years to realise everyone make it with stewing steak!!
Sharron x
I love your Gran’s saying…it will be repeated many a time….
I’m going to do scouse and post it, probably on Facebook – you’ve got me all inspired!
The comments about it on CDWM were enough to make anyone want to give it a ago…
I love this recipe Jo!! I have just put my slow cooker on to make scouse, it is baltic here today so a perfect winter warmer. I’m really loving my slow cooker at the moment. I am (hopefully) starting uni in April so i have been training my hubby on how best to use it. I’ve just told him about the lifting of the lid so there should be no excuses as to why my dinner will not be on the table when i walk through the door lol.
Your wedding photo is lovley, just out of interest what did you do with your dress? I still have mine, but i can’t zip it up 🙁 we married in June 2000 with just our 3 boys and 2 witnesses there due to family fall outs and interferance, but i got to say i really feel like i missed out on the whole ‘big day’ thing. Your wedding looks perfect!
Sharron x
I’ve yet to make scouse – but it’s on the list! It was on ‘Come Dine With Me’. Glad to hear about the Uni course – fingers crossed eh?
Ref the wedding, we did do the big traditional wedding. You can probably tell by the dress. Now there’s a story behind that dress. April 2001 I walked past a bridal shop (to get to a cake decorating one!) and saw it in the window. Then a bizarre thing happened. I went in and pretended I was getting married, which at the time there were no plans to. Very unlike me. Tried it on. Then forgot all about it. July 2001 out of the blue the proposal came, I accepted and within a week had the exact same dress hanging in my guest bedroom. It was a sample dress, it fitted and it was reduced in price! The dress is in the loft. I’ve deliberated what to do with it, common sense says get rid. It’s not saleable as on our wedding day we had thunderstorms and torrential rain (aka mudbath) – well it was August in the UK, what did we expect? It’s rather badly stained on the bottom, even though it’s been cleaned. The jury is out at the mo. As I said common sense is saying get rid. Your wedding sounds lovely, every wedding is perfect just the way you want it… if I did it again (no plans however) it would be very different. 10 years down the line and 2 kids later I’d be going much simpler. But saying that, at that time, at that stage of life and age it was spot on for me, for who I was then.
Reminds me of a saying my gran used to say ‘Buy the dress and the occassion will arise’. Your spot on about the wedding, it was the right wedding for who we were then. I saw it much more as marrying the father of my children and having the same surname as them. What i hear you scream you didn’t marry for love? Yes i love him deeply, i just didn’t need to get married to show that. It was much more about what was right for our family.
I vaugley remember scouse being done on come dine with me, but i don’t remember it too well. It was lovely, and my lovely hubby remarked that even though we have lived together for 19 years, this was the first time we have had scouse!! Thing is it was often seen as a poor man’s dish made with mutton, and i never really liked the thought of it. Took me all these years to realise everyone make it with stewing steak!!
Sharron x
I love your Gran’s saying…it will be repeated many a time….
I’m going to do scouse and post it, probably on Facebook – you’ve got me all inspired!
The comments about it on CDWM were enough to make anyone want to give it a ago…
You both look so fairy-tale lovely and so happy! Quite the story on the dress. Do I understand you to say you married a month or so after the proposal? Or a subsequent August? Anyway, love the picture.
I asked this question on a different post, but it was a day or two after the post went up and I think you were away for a few days. My question was, do you leave your slow cooker on when you are out ? (I assume so, or you’d never get anywhere!) I’d really like to get one, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t use it due to worry about leaving it plugged in. Not sure how to get over that.
Hand on heart Jo…I woke this morning and remembered you’d commented and that I hadn’t replied. Very spooky!
There was a 13 month gap between the proposal and the wedding. Once decision was made we kind of got on with it as there’d been a 9 year gap between the first date and the wedding day!
Regarding leaving slow cookers on. I have never had a problem. I’ve always been quite a cautious person about leaving electrical and other items unattended. I would NEVER leave the normal oven on whilst I was out, or the dishwasher or tumble dryer. NEVER. I’ve even had an instance where I thought I’d left my hair straighteners on and when I got to work called a family member (with spare key) to go round and check. With slow cookers they are very simple pieces of equipment. There’s not a lot to go wrong and they run on a very low voltage. I’m not saying something couldn’t happen, even the titanic sank, but I’m comfortable leaving it on whilst out, and also overnight. To reduce potential risk I do the following. I make sure the cooker isn’t touching anything else, and ensure the cable is unwound and visible (not under the cooker or squashed behind it) that kind of thing. Electric cables should be as straight as possible, I believe, for all devices. I’m happier when the cooker is on a low temp ((but do leave (for shorter periods) on high)). Slow-cookers should also have liquid within them – well that’s the official line. So I try not to leave a slow-cooker dish unattended if it doesn’t contain sufficient liquid. For example I occasionally roast chicken in it, but this is dry-roasted. If there are any concerns at all then do not leave this type of thing unattended, I have but it has played on my mind a little. Of course your home consumer unit or fuse box should be maintained. The RCD should trip the the sockets etc…should an electrical fault be discovered within the cooker. Use common sense as always! Only do what feels right to you!
Thanks so much for the detailed reply, Jo. I’ll have to think some more about this. We have two cats and besides the risk of them somehow getting into or around the pot while we’re at work, I don’t know if I could forgive myself if something shorted while we were away because they wouldn’t be able to get out in case of fire. Hmm. But I do think most, if not all, of your recipes are adaptable to a regular oven, and the slow cooker could be used on the odd day I’m home all day. I’d really like to give it a try 🙂
Hi Jo – yes all the recipes can be done (much quicker) on the hob or oven. This recipe was originally not slow-cooked. Do the chicken part in a frying pan, just make sure it’s cooked throughout. Alternatively pop in the oven after browning in the pan and leave for about an hour. Then follow the recipe from there.
Also I don’t use my slow-cookers just for slow cooking. Wednesday I was running late, so I made spaghetti bolognese in a pan on the hob, left to simmer 15 mins and then put in the slow cooker to finish off and also keep warm till ready to serve. It was only in there 2 hours whilst I did other stuff. I also use them for keeping gravy and soup warm, which may have been heated in another way. And at Christmas I use it to keep mulled wine warm.
Check out https://simplybeingmum.com/2011/02/01/top-tip-tuesday-not-so-slow-cooking/
You both look so fairy-tale lovely and so happy! Quite the story on the dress. Do I understand you to say you married a month or so after the proposal? Or a subsequent August? Anyway, love the picture.
I asked this question on a different post, but it was a day or two after the post went up and I think you were away for a few days. My question was, do you leave your slow cooker on when you are out ? (I assume so, or you’d never get anywhere!) I’d really like to get one, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t use it due to worry about leaving it plugged in. Not sure how to get over that.
Hand on heart Jo…I woke this morning and remembered you’d commented and that I hadn’t replied. Very spooky!
There was a 13 month gap between the proposal and the wedding. Once decision was made we kind of got on with it as there’d been a 9 year gap between the first date and the wedding day!
Regarding leaving slow cookers on. I have never had a problem. I’ve always been quite a cautious person about leaving electrical and other items unattended. I would NEVER leave the normal oven on whilst I was out, or the dishwasher or tumble dryer. NEVER. I’ve even had an instance where I thought I’d left my hair straighteners on and when I got to work called a family member (with spare key) to go round and check. With slow cookers they are very simple pieces of equipment. There’s not a lot to go wrong and they run on a very low voltage. I’m not saying something couldn’t happen, even the titanic sank, but I’m comfortable leaving it on whilst out, and also overnight. To reduce potential risk I do the following. I make sure the cooker isn’t touching anything else, and ensure the cable is unwound and visible (not under the cooker or squashed behind it) that kind of thing. Electric cables should be as straight as possible, I believe, for all devices. I’m happier when the cooker is on a low temp ((but do leave (for shorter periods) on high)). Slow-cookers should also have liquid within them – well that’s the official line. So I try not to leave a slow-cooker dish unattended if it doesn’t contain sufficient liquid. For example I occasionally roast chicken in it, but this is dry-roasted. If there are any concerns at all then do not leave this type of thing unattended, I have but it has played on my mind a little. Of course your home consumer unit or fuse box should be maintained. The RCD should trip the the sockets etc…should an electrical fault be discovered within the cooker. Use common sense as always! Only do what feels right to you!
Thanks so much for the detailed reply, Jo. I’ll have to think some more about this. We have two cats and besides the risk of them somehow getting into or around the pot while we’re at work, I don’t know if I could forgive myself if something shorted while we were away because they wouldn’t be able to get out in case of fire. Hmm. But I do think most, if not all, of your recipes are adaptable to a regular oven, and the slow cooker could be used on the odd day I’m home all day. I’d really like to give it a try 🙂
Hi Jo – yes all the recipes can be done (much quicker) on the hob or oven. This recipe was originally not slow-cooked. Do the chicken part in a frying pan, just make sure it’s cooked throughout. Alternatively pop in the oven after browning in the pan and leave for about an hour. Then follow the recipe from there.
Also I don’t use my slow-cookers just for slow cooking. Wednesday I was running late, so I made spaghetti bolognese in a pan on the hob, left to simmer 15 mins and then put in the slow cooker to finish off and also keep warm till ready to serve. It was only in there 2 hours whilst I did other stuff. I also use them for keeping gravy and soup warm, which may have been heated in another way. And at Christmas I use it to keep mulled wine warm.
Check out https://simplybeingmum.com/2011/02/01/top-tip-tuesday-not-so-slow-cooking/
Wow, Jo! This looks delicious. I cook from scratch most of the time, but have not eaten a homemade pot pie since I moved to the States. I keep thinking I’ll make one, but never get around to it. Probably because I was never the one to make the pot pies in Ireland 🙂 I’m starting from scratch here.
Your receipe looks very doable so I’m going to give it a go. I’ll put it on my March menu plan (if I don’t bump something beforehand just to try this).
I have some questions around the gravy granules. What kind of granules do you use? Do you use Bisto? I just found a source near where I live in Seattle. It will be nice to use that for nostalgia sake.
However, I do remember my mum giving me the task of making gravy from granules and struggling to keep the lumps at bay. How do you avoid this when you are sprinkling them into a thicker substance than hot water???
It really is easy, you can’t go wrong. The fact that there is no pastry on the bottom helps also. It’s basically a casserole with a pastry lid. It is also lower in fat. Ahhhh Bisto (sure you remember the adverts!)… yes I have used Bisto but I’ve just changed to Aldi’s own brand, because they don’t stock it (I don’t think).
Here’s my gravy tips… traditional gravy powder is tricky and may go into lumps. Powder (not granules) I always mix with a little cold water first and then top up to desired consistency with hot water. It’s best to stick to granules for an easy life. Granules today don’t really go into lumps, rather they can struggle to dissolve in water that’s not quite hot enough. This can be a problem with slow-cooking. With granules you are best to make it up in a jug with boiling water and then add to the pot if you aren’t confident what may happen – make it a little thicker than you require, then the additional liquid will thin it out. However you could just do as I do and chuck ’em in – it seems to turn out ok. Maybe turn the cooker onto high first for a few mins. Just stir vigorously once they are in, and leave to dissolve thoroughly for 15-20 minutes before serving. If unsure completely about granules in the cooker, then you could drain the ingredients and add a gravy mixed separately…but that would be a shame as you lose some flavour. Trial and error I’m afraid (oh and different brands may work differently) – Just go with it and see what happens – good luck and let me know how you go!
Wow, Jo! This looks delicious. I cook from scratch most of the time, but have not eaten a homemade pot pie since I moved to the States. I keep thinking I’ll make one, but never get around to it. Probably because I was never the one to make the pot pies in Ireland 🙂 I’m starting from scratch here.
Your receipe looks very doable so I’m going to give it a go. I’ll put it on my March menu plan (if I don’t bump something beforehand just to try this).
I have some questions around the gravy granules. What kind of granules do you use? Do you use Bisto? I just found a source near where I live in Seattle. It will be nice to use that for nostalgia sake.
However, I do remember my mum giving me the task of making gravy from granules and struggling to keep the lumps at bay. How do you avoid this when you are sprinkling them into a thicker substance than hot water???
It really is easy, you can’t go wrong. The fact that there is no pastry on the bottom helps also. It’s basically a casserole with a pastry lid. It is also lower in fat. Ahhhh Bisto (sure you remember the adverts!)… yes I have used Bisto but I’ve just changed to Aldi’s own brand, because they don’t stock it (I don’t think).
Here’s my gravy tips… traditional gravy powder is tricky and may go into lumps. Powder (not granules) I always mix with a little cold water first and then top up to desired consistency with hot water. It’s best to stick to granules for an easy life. Granules today don’t really go into lumps, rather they can struggle to dissolve in water that’s not quite hot enough. This can be a problem with slow-cooking. With granules you are best to make it up in a jug with boiling water and then add to the pot if you aren’t confident what may happen – make it a little thicker than you require, then the additional liquid will thin it out. However you could just do as I do and chuck ’em in – it seems to turn out ok. Maybe turn the cooker onto high first for a few mins. Just stir vigorously once they are in, and leave to dissolve thoroughly for 15-20 minutes before serving. If unsure completely about granules in the cooker, then you could drain the ingredients and add a gravy mixed separately…but that would be a shame as you lose some flavour. Trial and error I’m afraid (oh and different brands may work differently) – Just go with it and see what happens – good luck and let me know how you go!
Yes, I fondly remember those Bisto adds 🙂 Haven’t thought of them in more than a decade until you mentioned them. Thanks.
The cold water before the hot water might have been my problem. I never did that but I remember my mum stirring a little water into the granules before adding water from the kettle. I never thought about what temperature that initial water was that she used. Maybe you’ve cracked it! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Thanks for the great response Jo.
I can’t say for sure…but it’s probable your Mum used powder, as mine did when I was a child – you would need cold water first, it works similar to mixing cornflour into a paste before adding hot water. Granules you go straight to hot, a good stir should resolve any potential probs. Stirring won’t resolve powdery lumps though! Good luck!
Well Jo, I did put this on our March menu and we just ate it tonight. My husband and I really liked it and the kids liked it enough to eat their no thank you bites. The puff pastry on top will be my inroad to them eventually liking the center 🙂
I uses a McCormick’s brown gravy mix, which was okay but I’ll be making the trip to the Irish shop nearby to get the Bisto next time!
Oh, and I’d been trying to determine some good sides, particularly with the pastry on top. I went with baked potatoes in the end with brussel sprouts and corn. I got the idea for the brussel sprouts from your photo. Thanks.
I’ve been consistently serving brussel sprouts at least once a week for about six months in an effort to get the children to eat them. Six months of no thank you bites later and they are hooked (at least no more complaints and even a request for more from 3 out of 4 kiddos-me thinks that is a success!)
Thanks for sharing the great recipe Jo.
Yes, I fondly remember those Bisto adds 🙂 Haven’t thought of them in more than a decade until you mentioned them. Thanks.
The cold water before the hot water might have been my problem. I never did that but I remember my mum stirring a little water into the granules before adding water from the kettle. I never thought about what temperature that initial water was that she used. Maybe you’ve cracked it! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Thanks for the great response Jo.
I can’t say for sure…but it’s probable your Mum used powder, as mine did when I was a child – you would need cold water first, it works similar to mixing cornflour into a paste before adding hot water. Granules you go straight to hot, a good stir should resolve any potential probs. Stirring won’t resolve powdery lumps though! Good luck!
Well Jo, I did put this on our March menu and we just ate it tonight. My husband and I really liked it and the kids liked it enough to eat their no thank you bites. The puff pastry on top will be my inroad to them eventually liking the center 🙂
I uses a McCormick’s brown gravy mix, which was okay but I’ll be making the trip to the Irish shop nearby to get the Bisto next time!
Oh, and I’d been trying to determine some good sides, particularly with the pastry on top. I went with baked potatoes in the end with brussel sprouts and corn. I got the idea for the brussel sprouts from your photo. Thanks.
I’ve been consistently serving brussel sprouts at least once a week for about six months in an effort to get the children to eat them. Six months of no thank you bites later and they are hooked (at least no more complaints and even a request for more from 3 out of 4 kiddos-me thinks that is a success!)
Thanks for sharing the great recipe Jo.