Chicken, Leek and Tarragon Tartlets
Small covered pies with a creamy chicken filling in the manner of a French pot pie, inside crisp shortcrust pastry. The vermouth and the tarragon give them a profile beyond the usual chicken-and-cream filling. Ideal for a special meal, or to freeze in portions.
Two details make the difference. The leek is used split in two: the white cooks from the start, the green goes in raw at the end and keeps its colour and bite. And the filling has to be completely cold before it goes into the pastry — put in warm, it soaks the base before it ever gets to bake.
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken breast, in 1 cm cubes
- 650 g shortcrust pastry (or ready-made pie pastry)
- 1 large leek (white and green parts kept separate)
- 450 ml chicken stock
- 4 tbsp dry white vermouth or white wine
- 25 g butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 2 tbsp chopped tarragon
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped capers
- 1 egg yolk, for brushing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- 1
Soften the chicken and the white part of the leek in the butter and oil for 10 minutes, or until lightly coloured.
- 2
Dust over the flour, stir it in and pour in the stock along with the vermouth. Cook over gentle heat until the sauce thickens and the chicken is done.
- 3
Off the heat, stir in the green part of the leek, the herbs and the capers. Season and let it cool completely before assembling.
- 4
Line individual tins (muffin or tartlet tins) with discs of pastry, fill them and close with smaller pastry lids. Press the edges together well.
- 5
Brush with egg yolk and bake at 180 °C for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden.