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Easy chicken and leek pie

Name: Easy chicken and leek pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 medium leeks, washed, trimmed and thickly sliced; 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 150ml white wine; 150ml chicken stock, hot; 142ml carton double cream; Sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves picked and roughly chopped; 375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry; 1 medium egg

By: Kate Belcher

Published: 28 Feb 05
Updated: 8 Nov 24

Chicken and leek pie is a comfort food classic. Cook this hearty, warming winter recipe for the family, served with plenty of greens and mash.

After something a little quicker? This chicken and leek pie, topped with puff pastry, is ready in 50 minutes.

Easy
March 2005

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Takes 1½ hours to make, plus chilling

Chicken and leek pie is a comfort food classic. Cook this hearty, warming winter recipe for the family, served with plenty of greens and mash.

After something a little quicker? This chicken and leek pie, topped with puff pastry, is ready in 50 minutes.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 821kcals
Fat: 51.8g (13.7g saturated)
Protein: 48.1g
Carbohydrates: 39.2g (4.6g sugar)
Salt: 1.1g

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Before you start

It’s important to let pie filling cool before it goes anywhere near pastry – a hot filling will steam the pastry before it gets in the oven, turning it soggy.

If you don’t like the aniseed flavour of tarragon, replace it with parsley or chives.

Brushing the pastry with beaten egg is what gives it that beautiful golden brown and shiny finish – make sure you give it a complete covering to avoid dry patches.

Before you start

It’s important to let pie filling cool before it goes anywhere near pastry – a hot filling will steam the pastry before it gets in the oven, turning it soggy.

If you don’t like the aniseed flavour of tarragon, replace it with parsley or chives.

Brushing the pastry with beaten egg is what gives it that beautiful golden brown and shiny finish – make sure you give it a complete covering to avoid dry patches.

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 medium leeks, washed, trimmed and thickly sliced
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 garlic clove, crushed
150ml white wine
150ml chicken stock, hot
142ml carton double cream
Sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves picked and roughly chopped
375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry
1 medium egg

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Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and leeks and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.
Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring, for another 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, add the wine and bubble away until reduced by two-thirds. Pour in the stock and simmer until reduced by half. Add the cream and tarragon, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5-6 minutes until thickened. Season, then spoon into a 2.5-litre pie dish (or 4 x 300ml ovenproof dishes). Set aside to cool.
Brush a little water along the edge of the pie dish or dishes. Unroll the pastry and cut out a piece large enough to cover the dish or dishes. Press down the edges and trim off the excess. Snip a small hole in the centre of the pastry to let the steam escape. Put on a baking tray and chill for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7.
Beat the egg with a little salt, then brush over the pastry. Bake for 40-45 minutes (20-25 minutes if you are making individual pies) until the pastry is golden.