Chicken And Asparagus Tartlets

The quick version
Preheat oven to 180˚C. Place chicken breasts on a baking paper-lined oven tray, cover with foil and cook for 25 minutes (depending on size), or until just cooked (for juiciest results). Cool the chicken and shred into small pieces. Now see "Both versions" below.
The traditional version
Place a whole chicken in a saucepan just large enough to fit. Add approximately 1.6 litres water until just covered, the less water that is added, the better the flavour. Add chopped vegetables such as 2 carrots, 1 leek and a few stalks of celery and 10 black peppercorns. Place over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer, adjust heat to low and simmer gently for about 1 hour until just cooked. It’s an advantage to let the stock simmer very gently for a clear soup. When the meat is tender, remove from the stock and cool the chicken before picking the meat off the bone, then shred into bite-sized pieces. Add the bones back into the stock and simmer for a further 3 hours for beautiful flavour. Remove any fat from the stock by placing a piece of paper towel on the top and removing, repeat as needed. Strain the stock and reserve 1 cup (250 ml), freezing the rest for another use.
Both versions
Preheat oven to 160˚C if not already on. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add liquid from the canned asparagus and keep stirring until sauce has thickened. Gradually whisk in stock, and continue stirring until thickened. Lastly, cut the white asparagus into small sections, add the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Avoid boiling the sauce with the chicken added, as it can cause the meat to shred. Serve in pastry shells that have been briefly warmed in the oven and add some chopped chives or parsley and a tomato wedge (optional).