CHICKEN YASSA-INSPIRED POT PIE

Makes one pie in a 22cm pie dish

Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry you are!

• 2 320g sheets of ready made puff pastry (I use Jus-Roll) - defrosted 
• 500g boneless and skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into chunks (roughly 4-6 chunks per fillet)

Chicken marinade:

• 5 garlic cloves
• 1/2 a medium-sized scotch bonnet (seeds removed)
• 1/4 medium-large onion 
• Small piece of ginger (roughly 2-3 cm, peeled) 
• 1 tsp of bouillon powder 
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp rock salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

To cook the pie filling

• 4-5 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 3 large onions, sliced (around 580g)
• 2 tsp of brown sugar
• 1 tsp allspice 
• 100 ml stock
• 2-3 tbsp/50g pitted olives 

1. Use a blender/food processor to blend together the garlic, ginger, onion and chilli - add just enough water to loosen as needed.
2. In a bowl, mix together the chicken pieces with the above paste, with the remaining chicken marinade ingredients.
3. Leave to marinade covered in the fridge for at least 1 hour. If you are able to leave for longer, or even overnight, great.
4. Bring the chicken out 10-15 minutes before cooking to reach closer to room temperature.
5. Heat around 3 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wide pot/dutch over/deep pan on medium heat.
6. Add the chicken and leave to cook with the lid on for around 15 minutes until cooked through.
7. Remove the cooked chicken and keep aside.
8. Add a further 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to the same pot (there’ll be some chicken marinade left behind), add the onion, stir and cook with the lid on over a low to medium heat four around 15 minutes, until softened. 
9. Add the brown sugar and allspice, remove lid and increase heat to medium to high, and continue to cook the onions for 25-30 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions are deep brown and caramelised. Add splashes of water to deglaze the pot and prevent the onions from burning as needed.
10. Add back the chicken, pour in the stock and olives and leave to simmer together on low to medium heat for 5-10 minutes, then take off the heat.
11. Grease your pie dish. Fold one pastry sheet in half and stretch across the base of your pie dish.
12. Spoon the filling onto the pastry base, spreading evenly.
13. Fold the second pastry sheet in half and stretch across the top of the pie dish. Seal the edges of the bottom and top layers of pastry. Trim off any excess and use your fingers to smooth the edges,  Wrap up any excess pastry in cling film and freeze for another time.
14. Bake the pie at 200 degrees (fan) for 1 hour. It should be a very deep golden brown.

• See reels on toyotastes (IG) for visual aids
• The pie filling is pretty mild in heat, if you want it hotter you can adjust the amount of scotch bonnet.
• You can pound the garlic, chilli, ginger and onion into a paste in a pestle and mortar rather than blending if you prefer (you’ll need to finely chop the onion).
• For slicing the onion for the remaining pie filling - a maudlin is your friend if you’re comfortable with them, wear gloves and don’t rush etc. etc.
• You can use any stock, whether meat or veg - if you have some leftover from something else please do use that!
• The pastry assemblage uses a rough and ready approach for a rustic-style pie. 
• The pastry is folded/doubled up  a) to support the amount and richness of the filling and b) to avoid leaking and ensure a crisp bottom. It does take longer to cook through though, hence the longer cooking time.