Chicken, Zucchini and Fennel Pie

Featuring fennel, zucchini and some of my other favourite veggies, plus flavour additions like nutmeg and lemon, this pie is scrumptious and oh so satisfying. It’s a simple addition to your dinner repertoire (and is also a fab meal prep option for lunches throughout the week). Enjoy!

Serves 4-5

Extra virgin olive oil
Good pinch of salt
Good pinch of pepper
1/2 leek (I like a mix of the green and white parts), finely chopped
1 fennel, cut into about 1cm pieces
2 zucchini, cut into about 1cm pieces 
1 carrot, cut into about 1cm pieces 
A few big handfuls of spinach
500g chicken breast, cut into about 2cm pieces
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Slurp of vegetable stock
1 small bunch fresh tarragon, finely chopped (fresh thyme would also be delicious)
Rind of 1 lemon

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. In a large pot or pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the leek, salt and pepper and allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Once the leek begins to soften, add the fennel and carrot, allow to cook for a few more minutes.
4. Once the fennel and carrot begin to soften, add the zucchini, baby spinach, chicken, nutmeg and vegetable stock.
5. Turn to low heat and allow to cook for another 10-15 minutes. You may want to add a tiny slurp more vegetable stock if the mixture is looking a bit dry
6. Finally, stir in the tarragon and lemon rind
7. Grease and line the base and edges of a 22cm diameter round springform cake tin with baking paper
8. Lay two sheets of filo pastry over the tin, then gently press it into the tin so the edges are hanging over the side. Brush with olive oil. Rotate the tin slightly and repeat this process another 2 times, so that all of the edges of the tin end up having some filo pastry hanging over the edge.
9. Spoon the pie mixture into the tin. Gently bring the pastry edges over the top to make a rough lid. Brush with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is starting to go a lovely golden colour
11. Enjoy!