Description
Comforting classic chicken and leek pie brings British culinary warmth to dinner tables with its golden pastry and creamy filling. Hearty ingredients merge into a delightful meal you’ll savor down to the last delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken leg pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
- 1 egg
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 2 leeks, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 1 small bunch thyme
- 6 sage leaves
Dairy, Flour, and Seasonings:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Pastry:
- 1 pound frozen puff pastry, thawed
Instructions
- Gently poach chicken with aromatics in simmering liquid for approximately 1 hour, creating a flavorful broth.
- Extract chicken from poaching liquid, then strain and reduce broth to concentrate flavors.
- Carefully shred chicken meat, discarding skin and bones.
- Sauté leeks with remaining herbs in butter over medium heat for 4 minutes until softened.
- Combine sautéed leeks with shredded chicken in a mixing bowl.
- Create a roux by melting butter and incorporating flour, cooking for 2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk broth and mustard into roux, simmering until sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
- Remove sauce from heat, fold in cream, and season with salt and pepper. Allow mixture to cool completely.
- Heat oven to 400F (200C) for optimal pastry baking.
- Roll out pastry sheets, placing one sheet on baking tray as a base.
- Spread cooled filling evenly over bottom pastry layer.
- Brush pastry edges with egg wash, cover with second pastry sheet.
- Crimp and seal edges, cut decorative vents to release steam.
- Generously brush top with egg wash for golden finish.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry turns crisp and golden brown.
- Allow pie to rest for 10 minutes before serving to set filling.
Notes
- Ensure chicken is fully submerged during poaching for maximum flavor infusion and tender meat.
- Control liquid reduction carefully to maintain rich, concentrated chicken broth without burning.
- Shred chicken while still warm for easier and more even texture throughout the pie filling.
- Sauté leeks gently to preserve their delicate sweetness and prevent burning or becoming bitter.
- Create smooth sauce by whisking flour and butter mixture continuously to avoid lumps.
- Balance mustard quantity to enhance flavor without overwhelming the chicken and leek profile.
- Allow filling to cool completely before assembling pie to prevent soggy pastry bottom.
- Create decorative venting pattern on top crust for attractive presentation and steam release.
- Check pastry golden-brown color during baking to prevent over or undercooking.
- Use fresh herbs when possible for more vibrant and aromatic filling.
- Prep Time: 9 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 31-36 mins
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Poaching
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg