British · Authentic-ish British
Chicken and Mushroom Pie
300 kcal a serving, against 641 for the traditional version. That is 341 kcal off, or 53%, with 35.2g of protein. Serves 4. 1 hour.
What the traditional version is
For the classic pie, you fry onion, garlic, and mushrooms in butter, add chunks of chicken breast, pour over double cream, then stir in a handful of parsley.
What changed, and what each change costs
Double cream swapped for more chicken stock thickened with cornflour
Cream is lush but it doubles the calories in your filling. I thicken stock with cornflour and up the mushrooms so the sauce still has body.
What it costs you. You lose that velvet mouthfeel and the sauce won't cling to the chicken the same way. It's a lighter gravy rather than a rich blanket.
Butter swapped for a minimum of olive oil
Every tablespoon of butter is another excuse to call your GP. Olive oil gets the job done and lets the mushrooms take centre stage.
What it costs you. You miss the butter flavour and, more obviously, the gloss in the sauce. If you're the sort who drinks the buttery puddle off your plate, this isn't going to win you over.
Puff pastry replaced with a single layer of filo pastry
Puff pastry is basically butter and flour auditioning as a mattress. Filo is thin, shatters nicely, and lets you keep the idea of pastry without using half a block of butter.
What it costs you. You get crisp shards on top, but you won't get that familiar flake and puff. There's no bite of buttery pastry to mop up the sauce. If pastry is the main event for you, it's probably not your night.
Upped the chicken and mushroom to boost substance and keep you full
With less fat and no cream, you need something to actually eat. I up the chicken and mushrooms so it's not just sauce with pastry confetti.
What it costs you. No cost here - if anything, you might spot more mushrooms than you bargained for, but at least you won't be looking for lost chicken.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 641 | 300 |
| Protein | 28.7g | 35.2g |
| Fat | 44.3g | 9g |
| Saturated fat | 26.4g | 1.8g |
| Carbohydrate | 34g | 18.9g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4.5g | 11.7g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish British prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, eggs.
The method is in the book
This one's honest: it isn't a proper butter-puff pie, it's a mushroom-packed chicken casserole with a crispy hat. You'll notice the lack of cream and butter if you're used to the full pub special, but you do get more actual chicken, so it eats like a meal instead of a side dish. If you want pastry to be the star, you'll want the original. If you actually like the filling (and don't need to lie down after), this is a weeknight pie that won't haunt you. Just don't ask me to pretend the sauce is as satisfying - sometimes you have to take the hit for the sake of your trousers.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish British, along with 57 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.