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22 ratings

Recipe by Mary Cadogan

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1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Heat 1 tbsp oil and the butter in a frying pan, then add the onion and fry for 5 mins until softened. Cool slightly. Tip the sausagemeat, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, apricots, chestnuts and thyme into a bowl. Add the onion and cranberries, and mix everything together with your hands, adding plenty of pepper and a little salt.
2. Cut each chicken breast into three fillets lengthwise and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan, and fry the chicken fillets quickly until browned, about 6-8 mins.
3. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry to line a 20-23cm springform or deep loose-based tart tin. Press in half the sausage mix and spread to level. Then add the chicken pieces in one layer and cover with the rest of the sausage. Press down lightly.
4. Roll out the remaining pastry. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg and cover with the pastry lid. Pinch the edges to seal, then trim. Brush the top of the pie with egg, then roll out the trimmings to make holly leaf shapes and berries. Decorate the pie and brush again with egg.
5. Set the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 mins, then cool in the tin for 15 mins. Remove and leave to cool completely. Serve with a winter salad and pickles.

Per serving

488 kcalories, protein 23g, carbohydrate 39g, fat 28 g, saturated fat 12g, fibre 2g, salt 1.4 g

Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

• Elaine

  31 October 2007

  Elaine rated and commented on this recipe

  

  All the flavours of Christmas in a crisp pastry case. Good for a buffet spread, especially as you can make it ahead.

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• Elaine

  31 October 2007

  Elaine commented on this recipe

  All the flavours of Christmas in a crisp pastry case. Really good for a festive buffet, especially as you can make it ahead.

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• jim jones

  19 November 2007

  jim jones rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Made this pie in 2005 and was much enjoyed by all our guests at Christmas, it was requested again for Christmas 2006. I then lost the 2005 magazine, and thought, no Christmas Pie for 2007 until I found the web site and low and behold there it was. Looking forward to making this again in a few weeks time - what a treat.

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• CFL recipes

  19 November 2007

  CFL recipes rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This freezes well and was enjoyed by all.

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• grandadturk

  28 November 2007

  grandadturk rated this recipe

  

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• maurice

  28 November 2007

  maurice commented on this recipe

  Have made this pie since we first saw it in the mag, we live in Spain and our Spanish friends are totally over the moon with it, we get numerous requests for the 'English Christmas pie'. I have to give it a five star plus rating

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• maurice

  28 November 2007

  maurice rated this recipe

  

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• lesley

  28 November 2007

  lesley rated this recipe

  

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• Roseleanor

  28 November 2007

  Roseleanor rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This went down really well last year at work - I used Asda Pork & Apricot Sausages in it. Didn't realise it could be frozen, so that's a good 'get-ahead' tip I shall use this time.

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• BBC Recipes

  29 November 2007

  BBC Recipes commented on this recipe

  What a good idea! I see that someone made it with sausages instead of chicken - would chunks of ham be alright, so that I could serve it with cold turkey?

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• Keith

  29 November 2007

  Keith rated and commented on this recipe

  

  What a winner!!

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• joyjoy

  29 November 2007

  joyjoy commented on this recipe

  have not made it yet just printed.

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• bella

  30 November 2007

  bella commented on this recipe

  have just seen this recipe and will definitely try for a christmas treat.

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• Denise

  01 December 2007

  Denise rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I made this pie last year when my parents came over from Spain and my in Laws travelled from Somerset, it went down and absolute storm, this year I am doing both sets of parents a Christmas hamper I was concerned as to when I was going to make this and it still be fresh, now I know it can be frozen it's perfect!!! - Off to buy the ingredients today!

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• JAX

  02 December 2007

  JAX rated and commented on this recipe

  

  SOUNDS LOVELY

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• BBC Recipies

  03 December 2007

  BBC Recipies commented on this recipe

  Fabulous. Its really easy but looks soooo impressive. Next time I am going to use turkey rather than chicken and add some chesnut puree to the sausage meat.

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• Helen's

  16 December 2007

  Helen's rated this recipe

  

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• munchies

  18 December 2007

  munchies commented on this recipe

  I have made this pie and have it in the freezer ready for xmas teatime. I can't wait to try it, it looks delicious and is easy to make- it looks like a meal in one slice!

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• Jeanathan

  19 December 2007

  Jeanathan rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I wouldn't normally present any guests with a dish I hadn't previously tried, but this recipe received such high ratings that I thought I would risk it this once. I made and froze the pie a few weeks ago and put it on my party buffet table on Sunday. Out of all the dishes, it received the most praise. It disappeared in a flash and I had to be quick to get a piece so I could actually try it myself. Definitely a recipe to pull out every Xmas from now on I think.

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• Paul

  20 December 2007

  Paul rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Have been making this for three years on the trott now, and it is still a winner with our family.

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• knob butter
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 500g sausagemeat or skinned sausages
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 100g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 85g ready-to-eat dried apricots , chopped
• 50g chestnuts , canned or vacuum-packed, chopped
• 2 tsp chopped fresh or 1tsp dried thyme
• 100g cranberries , fresh or frozen
• 500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 500g pack ready-made shortcrust pastry
• beaten egg , to glaze

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Difficulty and servings

Cuts into 10-12 slices

Preperation and cooking times

Prep 30 mins

Cook min 1 hr 15 mins

Plus cooling

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• knob butter
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 500g sausagemeat or skinned sausages
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 100g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 85g ready-to-eat dried apricots , chopped
• 50g chestnuts , canned or vacuum-packed, chopped
• 2 tsp chopped fresh or 1tsp dried thyme
• 100g cranberries , fresh or frozen
• 500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 500g pack ready-made shortcrust pastry
• beaten egg , to glaze

Per serving

488 kcalories, protein 23g, carbohydrate 39g, fat 28 g, saturated fat 12g, fibre 2g, salt 1.4 g

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