Garlic bread topped chicken ‘pie’ recipe

Roast chicken is probably my favourite roast. The bonus is that there’s usually enough left the next day to use the leftovers and make a pie. Most of the time I just make the filling and top with shop bought puff pastry. But what goes down better in this house is this garlic bread topped chicken ‘pie’ recipe.

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We’re all big fans of garlic here (apologies to any of our friends who suffer smelling it on us even the next day!). Adding the garlic bread topping makes it more of a treat. Plus of course, adds great flavour.

If we’re going in with cooked chicken leftovers, you can also use leftover baguettes or french stick to make the garlic bread. It’s less hassle to use a couple of garlic bread baguettes (defrost first if frozen). But it tastes much nicer if you make your own bread topping.

You can adapt the chicken filling however you want.  Creme fraiche works brilliantly but it’s usually cream I’ve got in the fridge, so I use double cream along with chicken stock.

It doesn’t need a lot of extra herbs because of the garlic. But we like a little tarragon added.

If you’ve not got much in the way of cooked chicken leftovers, you can bulk it out with veg.  I tend to add some pancetta cubes (smoked takes good), or diced bacon, courgette, onions and peppers. 

If you’re using already cooked chicken, it makes the filling so fast to cook.  

You just need to fry off the onions and pancetta in some oil before adding the other veg. 

Add in some chicken stock and reduce that down, then add the double cream.

Tip in the chicken and mix through, season then transfer to a pie dish.  

Then you can add the topping.

Puff pastry is fine, but the garlic bread chunks just add something else.

If you’ve got ready made garlic bread, just chop it up into approximately 1 inch size pieces. Lay on top of the chicken filling, 

I quite often use part baked baguettes, bake them, then chop and dip into melted butter and garlic. You could even top with a sprinkling of grated cheese for added flavour.

Bake keeping an eye on the garlicky bread topping until it’s crisped up and the filling’s heated through.

A huge spoonful of this garlic bread topped chicken is delicious served with new potatoes or buttery mash, and green beans.

Find the recipe ingredients and instructions below.

Equipment suggestions:

• Large frying pan
• Casserole / baking dish

Tips for cooking this dish

Rotisserie chicken or leftover roast chicken is perfect for this dish. But if you only have raw chicken, fry off diced chicken in oil in a frying pan until just cooked through before adding the onions and other veg.

Replace the cream with 2-3 tbsp of creme fraiche

If you want a faster meal, just use garlic bread baguettes x2, chilled or at room temperature if frozen. 

You can also use garlic granules or premade crushed garlic paste for the garlic butter if you prefer. You may find you need to make a second batch of garlic butter as needed.

Looking for other chicken recipes, try my queso chicken recipe or see the recipe detail below.

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Garlic bread topped chicken

Creamy veg and chicken topped with crispy garlic bread topping

Course Main Course

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• Cooked chicken, shredded or diced (leftover roast, or rotisserie chicken is good. Alternatively cook 3 chicken breasts
• 100 g pancetta cubes, smoked or unsmoked
• 2 shallots or half red onion, peeled and diced
• 1 small courgette, chopped into half or quarter slices
• 250 ml / 1 cup chicken stock
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) of double cream
• Tarragon
• Salt, Pepper
• Oil for frying I use olive oil
• Handful sugar snap peas optional
• half red pepper, deseeded and diced optional
• 2 sticks celery diced optional

Garlic bread topping

• 2 half baguettes, or a french stick
• 4 tbsp 4 tbsp salted butter, melted
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• grated parmesan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C

2. In a frying pan, heat the oil then fry the pancetta until just browning, then add the onions until cooked through.

3. Add the other veg and mix in cooking through.

4. Make up the chicken stock if using a cube, then add to the pan, and simmer for a bit until reduced down.

5. Add the cream and reduce a bit again, then add in the chicken and season to taste, adding a sprinkling of tarragon.

6. Transfer to an ovenproof dish.

To make the garlic bread topping

1. If using part baked baguettes, bake them first according to instructions.

2. Slice the baguettes into 1 inch-ish wide rounds, then chop the slices into 2-4 chunks.

3. Melt the butter – I do it in the microwave

4. Add the garlic to the butter, then dip the bread chunks and mix to coat. You may need to top up the melted garlic butter if there’s not enough.

5. Arrange on top of the chicken filling mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese if using

6. Bake until the garlicky bread is lightly browning and crispy on top.