Chicken and Leek Pie (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken, leeks, and bacon in creamy sauce with flaky pastry. British comfort at its finest.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
02 - 3.5 oz smoked bacon lardons or diced bacon

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Sauce & Dairy

08 - 3.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 1 2/3 cups whole milk
11 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chicken stock
12 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Pastry

16 - 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry, approximately 11.3 oz
17 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (180°C fan setting).
02 - In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook bacon until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - In the same pan, add chicken pieces and brown on all sides for 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
04 - Add butter to the pan, then stir in onions, leeks, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stirring well for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
06 - Gradually pour in milk and chicken stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened.
07 - Stir in cooked bacon, chicken, heavy cream, mustard, and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
08 - Pour filling into a large pie dish with approximately 1.6 quart capacity.
09 - Unroll pastry and lay it over the filling. Trim any excess and press edges to seal. Cut a few small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Brush with beaten egg.
10 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until pastry is golden and crisp. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The leeks turn impossibly sweet and tender, adding a gentle onion flavor that feels more elegant than your average pot pie.
  • Smoky bacon lardons give every bite a savory punch that balances the cream beautifully.
  • The puff pastry puffs up golden and shatters when you cut into it, making even a weeknight feel special.
  • It reheats like a dream, so leftovers taste just as good the next day.
02 -
  • Let the filling cool before topping it with pastry, or the heat will melt the butter in the dough and you'll end up with a soggy, flat lid instead of a crisp, flaky one.
  • Don't skip browning the chicken, that caramelization adds a depth of flavor that you can't get any other way.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, add a splash more stock or milk, it should be creamy and pourable, not stiff like wallpaper paste.
03 -
  • Use a pie dish with a wide rim so you have plenty of surface to press and seal the pastry, otherwise it tends to shrink away during baking.
  • Brush the rim of the dish with a little beaten egg before laying the pastry on top, it acts like glue and helps create a proper seal.
  • If you love a really thick, golden crust, use two sheets of puff pastry and layer them before draping over the filling.
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