Chicken and Leek Pie (Printable)

Creamy chicken and leek filling encased in golden puff pastry for ultimate comfort

# What You'll 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 ounces
17 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (180°C fan).
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 the 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 the filling into a large pie dish with approximately 1.6 quart capacity.
09 - Unroll the pastry and lay it over the top of the filling. Trim any excess and press the 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 the pastry is golden and crisp. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but feels achievable: no fancy techniques, just good ingredients timed right.
  • The filling is forgiving: slight tweaks in cream ratios or vegetable sizes won't derail you.
  • Leeks add a sweetness that chicken pot pie usually lacks: smoother, more sophisticated than regular onions.
  • It's a complete meal in one dish: no need to fuss with sides unless you want to.
02 -
  • Hot filling into a pie dish means a soggy bottom crust every time: let it cool slightly so the pastry can crisp rather than steam from below.
  • Underestimate how much seasoning goes into the filling: the pastry is bland, so your sauce needs to be bold—taste and adjust before it goes in.
  • Those steam slits aren't decorative: they genuinely prevent the pastry from puffing unevenly and the filling from bubbling out at the edges.
03 -
  • Don't skip the step of cooking out the flour: it removes that chalky taste and makes your sauce silky rather than floury.
  • If your sauce seems too thick, thin it with a splash of milk; too thin, simmer it an extra minute or two: you're aiming for something that coats a spoon but still moves.
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