Known as a “Tourte”, this homemade French Chicken and Mushroom Pie is a comfort food classic through and through. It features two flaky sheets of puff pastry (homemade or store bought), encasing a creamy filling of mushrooms, bacon and chicken breast pieces, flavored with thyme and Dijon mustard. This is a wonderfully hearty dish, perfect for autumn or winter.
What is a French “Tourte” Exactly?
In France, the term “Tourte” is commonly used to designate a savory two-crusted pie. A Tourte usually includes a filling of meat and/or vegetables, encased between two layers of pastry – either puff pastry or pastry dough.
Tourte is a very popular winter dish in France, with countless regional variations. Some of its most famous ones include the “Bisteu” from Northern France (filled with potatoes slices and bacon, a recipe you can find in my cookbook), the “Tourte Lorraine” (filled with white-wine marinated ground pork and veal), or the “Tourte Niçoise’, a sweet variation filled with Swiss chard and pine nuts and topped with icing sugar to serve as a dessert.
This French Chicken and Mushroom Pie isn’t affiliated to a particular region, but is very popular all throughout France, especially in the Fall and early Winter. Unlike typical American or British chicken pot pies that usually include carrots, celery and peas, the French version traditionally features mushrooms in a creamy sauce, flavored with Dijon mustard and herbs.
This recipe is a staple in our household – it is always a hit!
The Recipe
The flaky buttery crust, the creamy sauce, the tender chunks of chicken, the salty bacon, the flavorful mushrooms… This French Chicken And Mushroom Pie (Tourte) truly is French comfort food at its best!
And what I really love about this recipe is that you can use a few shortcuts, if you want. You can cook chicken breasts for the occasion or just use leftover roast chicken (or even turkey) if you have some. You can make your puff pastry from scratch or use a ready-made one for convenience (which I often do).
While this recipe features multiple steps, the instructions are straightforward and easy to complete. Before diving into it, I wanted to give you answers to some of the most common questions you may ask about this recipe.
Common Questions
What chicken pieces can I use?
For convenience, I think using boneless, skinless chicken breasts is ideal. A satisfying chicken pot pie should yield a chunky filling. So using breasts, I suggest you cut the chicken in big chunks that are at least 1-1.5 inch (2.5-3.5cm) in size. And because they will bake further in the creamy sauce, they will remain tender.
Can I substitute the chicken breasts?
Yes, this pie can also be an excellent way to repurpose leftover cooked chicken (or even turkey!). So, if you made a roasted chicken yesterday, you could use the leftover meat. To do so, use the exact same quantity of chicken meat (deboned, skinned: 510g), cube it and simply skip step 1 and 3 in the recipe – since your chicken will be already cooked.
Can I use a store-bought puff pastry crust?
Yes, absolutely. For convenience and to save time, I honestly often rely on store-bought puff pastry. When shopping for the puff pastry, make sure to get a good quality double pastry (or two packets of single sheets). If frozen, thaw according to package instructions before cooking and keep the packets in the fridge until ready to cook.
If you’re up for making a from-scratch puff pastry, I recommend the rough puff pastry recipe from Clotilde Dusoulier. It is easy to make, uses lots of butter (in true French fashion) and turns out great.
What dish is best for this pie?
A 9” (23cm) diameter pie dish is best for making this recipe. You can also use a low-sided cast iron skillet or even a 9″ round cake pan.
How to prevent the bottom of the crust from getting soggy?
Not having a soggy crust mostly depends on the quality of your filling: it shouldn’t be soupy. When making your filling, aim for a thick, creamy texture – not liquidy. Coming off the stove, right before filling the crust, the filling should be fairly “tight”.
How to prevent the tourte from browning too quickly?
After 20-30 minutes of baking, if you think the top of your tourte is browning too quickly, place a sheet of foil loosely over the top. The pie will continue to bake but this will prevent the top from over-browning.
How long can you keep this Chicken And Mushroom Pie?
Any leftovers? You can keep the tourte in the fridge or in the freezer.
- Keep it in the fridge: let the tourte cool completely before placing it in an airtight container or covering it tightly with foil. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the tourte in the oven, at 350°F (180°C). I don’t recommend re-heating it in the microwave as the crust will become soggy.
- To freeze: let the tourte cool completely before placing it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking (no need to thaw completely). Bake covered with foil for 35-40 minutes at 375°F (190°C).
Cooking notes and substitutions:
- Cremini mushrooms are traditionally used for making this recipe, but you can opt for other seasonal mushrooms if you like, such as chanterelles.
- Puff pastry warms up quickly and can get sticky, so keep each sheet rolled in the fridge up until you need it. Act fast when rolling it out and transferring it into the dish.
I hope you’ll love this Chicken And Mushroom Pie as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment.
More Chicken recipes you may like:
- Classic French Coq Au Vin Rouge
- French Roast Chicken (Poulet Rôti)
- French Tarragon Chicken
- Simple Chicken Marengo with Mushrooms
- Chicken Chasseur (Classic French Hunter’s Chicken)
- Braised Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Onion
- Chicken Breasts in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
77 comments
Audrey this looks absolutely delicious. I’ll making this for sure when the weather cooks down.
It truly is comforting when the cool autumn air starts to hit.
In #7 what is lardons?
Hi Penny! Lardons is what we call bacon bits in French. I realize this is perhaps unclear to a lot of people, so I edited the recipe instructions to “bacon”. Thanks so much for catching that. Happy cooking!
We loved this dish! So tasty. The filling was perfect but I didn’t bake the puff pastry enough. Our ovens are testy. Next time I will bake at the higher temperature, cover with foil and not reduce the temp so much. Pure comfort. Thank you!
Thanks so much Julie! So glad you enjoyed it! It’s always recommended to know your oven well, and adjust a bit the temperature and/baking time if needed, especially for delicate things like puff pastry. You can definitely bake the pie longer at a higher temperature with foil on top to prevent the crust from browning too fast.
I showed the recipe to my husband and he begged me to make it for dinner the next day. I did and he swears that it is his new favorite dish! He made me promise that it will be included in my menu rotation, which I easily agreed to. The recipe is forgiving; we had unexpected guest drop in when I had just finished making the filling so I put it in the fridge as I knew they would stay awhile. Four hours later I got back to finishing the dish and it turned out beautifully. The sauce was to die for, just the right amount of mustard and herbs, and the puff pastry was crisp and golden. Our new favorite! Audrey, thank you for posting this recipe. We already have plans for making this the main course at our next dinner party.
Thank you so much Bruce, so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Just made and it was amazing! Flavors 10/10, my execution was 7/10. The filling was too warm when I put it in the pie dish and the pastry warmed up too much before it went in the oven, bottom crust want as cooked as I would have liked. Next I make this, and I will, I will let the filling cool down (like Bruce did!) and then finish baking. Thank you Audrey for another fantastic recipe!
Thank you so much for the comment, Andre! I agree, the flavor on this one really is perfect and it is so comforting. As for cooling the filling, it is definitely advisable that it isn’t hot when it goes in. By the time (if you go by the order in the directions) the oven has preheated and you’ve dealt with the prepping the bottom crust in the pie dish, the filling should have cooled (and thickened) enough to not cause a soggy crust. But, now you have an excuse to make it again!
Yummy, I can’t wait to make this! My question is how do you think it would turn out if I reduced the mustard to a teaspoon or leave it out all together? I’m not a fan of mustard but if it adds to the flavor much I will add it. Thanks 😊
Hello, Audrey! Just to clarify, this recipe uses Dijon mustard (not regular yellow mustard). So, for me, the flavour is invaluable to this dish. If you really don’t like the taste, you can omit it. But I think your best option would be to cut it in half, as you mentioned. You don’t taste “Dijon mustard” as you eat it, but it adds a lot of charcter and flavour notes. So, for me… Leave it in (even if just half!)
Delicious
Thank you, Adrienne!
6 TABLESPOONS of flour?? Are you sure? I put one heaped into my mix and it was plently to thicken? The rest was good flavour. Just worried about putting puff pastry at the bottom of the dish? Uncooked? Surely it will just be soggy?
6 tablespoons! This filling is on the thick side, and I remember being surprised at the amount as well. This also helps to ensure the bottom crust does not become soggy as it used uncooked. It’s not your traditional super creamy pot pie
You’re not alone in these feelings. I remember having them as well, but after making this more than a few times, I can stand by it! Hope you enjoy it!
It worked! Great flavors! Posting a photo on my fb page.
Love to hear it, Cheryll! Hope you all enjoyed it!
Can I make the filling the day before and keep it in the refrigerator?
Absolutely, there should be little/ no problem in doing so, as long as it is just the filling being prepared ahead. It will thicken A LOT in the fridge, but should thin out again slightly once it heats up in the oven. The filling is thick by nature.
This was absolutely delicious and will be added to our fall-winter dinner menu. Many thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much, Lorna! It’s such a satisfying and overall simple dish to make, and the result just blows anything you can buy at the store out of the water.
should it be smoked bacon or salted?
Martin, either one would work just fine. But for the purposes of “authenticity” just regular salted bacon would be the choice. I do think the smoked taste would be quite nice as well though! Happy cooking!
I made this and it came out great. Finding the puff pastry was the most difficult part unfortunately. But it was fantastic and everyone loved it.
So happy you enjoyed it, Zasifras! I’m not sure where you’re from, but it’s a tad unfortunate that the puff pasty was difficult to find.. but glad you were able to find some in the end! Thanks for commenting, it’s appreciated.
I just made this and it is the best thing I have made in a while! I did have to add more broth because it was way thicker than she was describing and it turned out fine with the extra liquid. I think next time I would do less flour than the recipe calls for.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Jennifer! Glad you were able to remedy the sauce being a touch thick. While the sauce surrounding the chicken and mushrooms is meant to be quite thick, there is also a point where adding more liquid/broth may be necessary. Every flour is different and some absorb more water than others. Great to be aware of it, and glad you made it work. Enjoy!
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this one!
Martha, I am certain you’ll enjoy it! Happy cooking and hope to hear back if you give it a go!
After reading this recipe I quickly realized its not far off from a coq au riesling I make on the regular. I didnt use butter. The bacon provides enough to cook with. Swapped out onion for leeks. Eliminated flour and milk for whipped cream. Swapped out chicken broth for a little white wine. I also used boneless chicken thighs. Either way, it’s another end to the means. It’s a fabulous dish. We will be adding it into our reg rotation, next time I am adding peas!
Thanks for the feedback, Jill! Yes, in French cooking, everyone seems to make the same recipe with a few adjustments to make it their own. Which is great, because you can have the same dish multiple times, still get the essence of it, but it tastes a bit different than the last time. I have also considered adding peas, it’s just a natural fit!
looking forward to trying this
Confident you’ll love it, Simone!
My pie looked great coming out of the oven, but I had some issues when eating it. Same as other commenters, my bottom crust was not fully cooked, and I cooked it initially at 425 degrees F for the first 20 minutes. Also, all I could taste in the filling was thyme. I thought 1 tsp of dried thyme seemed like a lot, but I double checked the ingredients and no one commented regarding this being too much. However, after looking at the pictures, it appears you used fresh thyme, which would probably have been the right amount then.
Hello, Patty. This recipe is pretty strong on the thyme. I do use fresh thyme for this recipe if it’s on hand, but for THIS recipe I used dry thyme (the fresh thyme was simply for the photos). Obviously the amount of thyme can be adjusted, and in your case it seems even half the amount would suffice. Perhaps I’ll note in the recipe that 1tsp should be used for a more potent thyme taste.
The problem with the bottom crust not cooking seems to be very hit and miss with readers, and I’m really starting to wonder if it comes down to where the pie is being placed in the oven. This issue is hard for me to diagnose as the bottom cooks perfect for some, and not for others.
I do appreciate you reaching out and letting me know, and it’s unfortunate that the thyme taste was too strong for your liking. I will use this however, as a note in the recipe for the future.
If I wanted to make this as individual appetizer pies, in a muffin pan, would I bake at same temp and time?
This would be so good at a Happy Hour party!
Hello, Liz. I wish I could give you a solid answer, but I’ve only ever made this as a whole tourte. That being said… If I was experimenting on my own, I would likely cut the “first bake at 410” down to 15min, and the second bake (at 350) I’d start checking the pies frequently after 5min or so and pull them when they have the correct colour on them (crisp and golden). They SHOULD take less time to cook, but it’s possible not by much.
Hi — I am a big fan and make many of your recipes: much appreciated, thanks. I made this tourte just about exactly as you described, except for a bit less flour for thickening. The filling was firm as recommended when it went in. However after the suggested cooking times the bottom crust was barely cooked — not soggy, just raw!
It seems others have encountered this problem, and here’s my diagnosis: the amount of heat getting to the bottom of the tourte depends mainly on the kind of pie dish being used. If it’s thick ceramic it’ll take a long time for the bottom crust to get to cooking temperature; or if it’s thin metal the heat will get through quickly. I was using a nice rustic earthenware dish about a quarter of an inch thick — it looks great but it’s a very effective insulator. The bottom pastry just stays cool.
Next time (and there will be a next time: the filling was delicious), rather than increasing cooking times and dealing with the top burning, I’ll be using a thin stainless dish which I’ve no doubt will work fine.
Thanks so much for the feedback, John. And great diagnosis! I think this might precisely be the issue some are experiencing. There are so many variables that can affect the way a dish cooks, but yours seems the most logical. I think this will help many other readers, and perhaps I will try to find a way to include this in the recipe as well. Thanks again, and so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This recipe is a favorite at our house. I have looked at other online recipes (not many out there actually), and they don’t compare. Thanks so much.
You made me smile, Steve. So glad you enjoyed this recipe, I really appreciate the high praise!
Absolutely delicious! Everybody liked it so I definitely will make it again.
Thank you so very much, Gerda! Love hearing that it was a success. It’s about time for me to make this again soon as well.
Hi Audrey… I just got your book and can’t wait to get started. Quick question, why parchment paper? Should I always use it when making pies?
Thx, Tish
Great question, Tish! So, the basic rule is if I’m making something using a pâte brisée (like for a quiche) I won’t use parchment… If I’m using a pâte feuilletée (puff pastry), I will use parchment. It all comes down to pâte feuilletée being much more difficult to remove from the pan. 🙂
I want to freeze it. Do I freeze it with the parchment paper in the pan? If yes-do I serve it with the parchment paper in the pan?
Hello, Julie! Sorry if I’m misunderstanding your question, so please reply to clarify if I answer it incorrectly…
My instructions for freezing the tourte are for an already baked pie… The freezing is to keep the leftovers, which are then reheated. If that’s what you’re doing, I would likely just place a fresh piece of parchment down in whatever you’re freezing it in, to make for easier removal.
If you’re planning on freezing an already made (but not yet baked pie), I have personally never done this… But I would still absolutely keep parchment on the bottom of the pan for freezing and for baking. Again, makes for much easier removal of the pie/pie slices when serving. You just have to remember it’s there when you serve, to remove it before someone takes a bite 🙂
Thank you for responding! I wanted to freeze an entire baked pie. I will be transporting it to my sister who is 3hrs away and it’s easier for me to make the day before I leave.
Perfect! Let the tourte cool completely before placing it in an airtight container and freezing… Then bake (reheat) covered with foil for 35-40 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Every oven is different so just check to make sure it’s warmed through. Bon appetit!
Two comfort food recipes I have not tried in a few years are Torte Au Choux and Aligot. They would be yummy additions.
I often have trouble with soggy bottom crusts but now I put the mixture in ramekins and cover with puff pastry circles for individual servings. They freeze great that way. I live alone so I get to eat all the goodies!
This recipe looks great, and I’m looking forward to making it tonight, but various health authorities say there is no need to wash chicken, and in fact it’s a bad idea as it spreads bacteria.
It’s definitely down to personal choice, and it’s admittedly not something I always do. Some swear by it… But you’re right, you have to be cautious with handling and thorough with clean-up afterwards.
Hope you’ll enjoy the recipe, Alexander! Bon appetit 🙂
I made this tonight and it’s wonderful. Not difficult or time consuming especially using ready made dough and since I had leftover turkey in the freezer.
Perfect use of leftover turkey, Syd! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, making it even easier with the use of store bought dough. Thank you for sharing 🙂
I’m a committed Francophile! I spent a year in Paris studying. It was a seminal period in my life and I love all things French.
So amazing to have that experience, Catharine. It clearly made a lasting impression, as you’d hope it would! Thanks for the support.
I made this for dinner tonight. The sauce was really thick, I was concerned, but then re-read the page to realize that is good. My husband said too bad I can’t record the smell and put it on Facebook!
The only thing I did differently was use my own homemade crust, which was great.
Amazing, Kim! Yes, the sauce being so thick definitely is a change from the traditional “pies” I’ve had when living in Canada. But that’s for sure how this one is meant to be – thick!
So very happy that you and your husband enjoyed it, and he’s so right… The smell of it is absolutely wonderful 🙂
I made this tonight using pheasant and fresh thyme, it was delicious! Thank you so much!
Sandy, pheasant must have been absolutely wonderful in this dish! Was it wild caught, or did you find it in store? So great to hear that worked out as an alternative meat, which no doubt added another layer of flavors to the tourte. You’re so very welcome for the recipe, glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Making this again today. These are pheasants I hunted myself with my dogs! So satisfying 😊
Incredible, Sandy! Is it pheasant season, or is that a year round thing where you live? Must be so incredibly satisfying, and no doubt extra delicious! Yum!
Audrey, this recipe sounds delicious. Do you think I could substitute cooked shredded chicken for the raw cubed chicken? I generally always have cooked shredded chicken in my freezer which can reduce meal prep time. Thanks, Shirley
I think that should work just fine, Shirley. I haven’t done it myself, but you would just need to skip the cooking the chicken part, and follow the recipe as written otherwise. The texture of the tourte would obviously change a bit (chicken chunks v shreds), but it should still taste the exact same. I absolutely think this would work and would love to hear back if you do try it.
This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors!
Merci, Suzanne… A truly delicious and comforting dish. I hope you’ll get to try it!
Thanks for sharing ! Does it keep long?
Thank you, Vanessa. Once cooled, it should last 3-4 days in the fridge, tightly wrapped. I recommend reheating in the oven at 350F, as the microwave really kills the crust.
Love this pie, it’s ideal to make the filling early then build the pie nearer to when you are having dinner. It’s such a crowd pleaser. 🥂
Merci, Jo! 🙂 Being able to prep ahead slightly always makes for a great recipe to serve to guests. So glad you enjoyed it!
This looks amazing. Even though it’s spring, I will still give it a go. Question- can I make this into smaller individual pies?
Absolutely, Karen. If I remember correctly, someone here in the comments did that. Just keep and eye on the top of the tourte and make sure it doesn’t overbrown, as it will cook faster due to it’s smaller size. Would love to know what you thought afterwards! 🙂 Bon appetit!
I made what started out to be one pie and ended up with two 😊 I will be making them again, very tasty, but next time I will blind bake the bottom crust. I put them in separate ovens. The one we had for dinner I baked in an electric oven for better temperature control but the bottom crust did not cook. The other one ended up in the gas oven and the top browned very quickly so I covered it with foil and lowered the temp. I lifted it out of the Pyrex and the bottom crust looked golden on the outside at least.
Beautiful, Carmen! If you’ve made them then you know for sure whether or not needing to blind bake will work better for you or not. It will absolutely give the bottom crust more of a flakiness, of that thre is no doubt. Glad you enjoyed them, I know my husband is already looking forward to cooler weather seasons so he can have dishes like this again… But it’s only the start of July, let me enjoy a bit of sun first! 🙂
This was absolutely lovely. I wish I could post the picture it was almost too pretty to eat.
Lovely to hear, I’m thrilled you enjoyed the tourte! It does come out beautifully, but knowing what’s inside makes me feel a lot less bad about digging in 🙂