Chicken and Leek Pie Recipe

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Have you ever tried the combination of chicken and leeks?  It’s a delightful flavor combination you won’t want to miss–especially when it’s tucked under beautiful golden shortcrust pastry.  This classic British pie is worth making for your next family dinner!

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Questions

What herbs go with chicken and leek pie?

The most popular herbs are salt, pepper, and fresh tarragon.  Other options include sage, thyme, dill, or parsley.  Experiment to see which ones you like the best.

What do you serve with it?

• Mashed potatoes
• Mushy peas
• Cress or rocket salad
• Roasted Brussels sprouts
• Asparagus
• Pickled beets

How many calories?

The calories vary widely based on what ingredients you use.  For the recipe I’m using, each slice is 550 calories.

How long do you cook it?

Most savory pies take about 35-40 minutes to bake at 400 F (200 C).  The higher temperature is crucial to getting crisp, golden pastry.

Can you freeze it?

Yes, you can freeze it before or after it has baked.  It is preferable to freeze it before it’s baked, though.

• Let the filling cool completely.
• Place it in a freezer-to-oven safe dish, such as an aluminum pie plate.
• Cover with pastry, then a layer of aluminum foil.
• Seal tightly in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Bake the pie from frozen–just increase the baking time.

How do you reheat it?

• Bake at 350 F for 20-30 minutes, until warmed to your liking.
• Microwave individual slices until hot.  (Don’t put metal pie dishes in the microwave!)

How to Make

Gather the ingredients for the filling.

Brown the chicken in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until the meat reaches 165 F in the thickest part of the thigh, about 7 1/2 minutes on each side.

Remove the meat from the pan and fry the leeks and garlic in the rendered fat until soft.  Deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup of white wine.

Melt the butter in the same skillet, then add the flour to make a roux and whisk for 2 minutes to cook the flour.  (Your roux should be lighter than this; I cooked mine too long in this photo!)

Add the white wine and milk, whisking continuously until smooth.  Bring to a boil and whisk until thick.

Add the cooked veggies and spices and cook for 2-3 minutes to bring out the flavors.

Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Stir most of the chicken into the sauce.  Reserve any leftover meat for another use.

Let the filling cool, then cover with pastry and brush with beaten egg.  Bake at 400 F for 35-40 minutes until it’s a deep golden brown.

Variations

• Use chicken thighs instead of breast for more flavor and moisture.
• Want additional meat?  Add cooked ham or bacon for more protein and flavor.
• Love mushrooms?  Sauté 8 ounces (226g) of sliced mushrooms in 2 tablespoons (30g) of butter until brown, then stir into the filling.
• Want an extra-creamy sauce?  Use half cream and half milk for a richer sauce.  Add a dollop of crème fraîche for a tangy twist.
• Add other herbs like sage, thyme, parsley, or dill to change up the flavor.
• Try puff pastry instead of shortcrust.

Pro Tips

• Speed up the cooking time by using boneless skinless chicken thighs.
• Save time by using roasted or rotisserie chicken.
• Is the sauce too thick?  Add additional wine or milk to thin it.
• Season the sauce generously.  The seasonings will be less potent once the meat and veggies are added.

Other Savory Pies You’ll Enjoy

• Corned Beef Pie
• Shepherd’s Pie
• Minced Beef Pie
• Steak & Ale Pie
• Beef & Potato Pie

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Recipe

Chicken and Leek Pie Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Emma
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Description

Chicken and leek pie is an old fashioned British pie that’s delightfully creamy and packed with chicken and leeks under a buttery shortcrust pastry crust.  Serve this homemade dish with mash or mushy peas to make a wonderful winter dinner the whole family will love.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 1 lb 14 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs (4 thighs; 850g)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (45 ml)
• 1 1/4 cup leeks, sliced (116g)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup white wine (78 ml)
• 5 tablespoons salted butter (71g)
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour (37g)
• 1/2 cup white wine (118 ml)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk (177 ml)
• 5 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped (20g)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Pastry

•  15 ounces shortcrust pastry (425g)
• 1 large egg, beaten

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Instructions

Making the Filling

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Meanwhile, pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towel.
2. Once the oil is shimmering, add the thighs to the skillet and brown for 7 1/2 minutes on each side.  After a couple minutes of cooking, turn down the heat to medium-low and cook until the chicken reaches 165 F (74 C) in the thickest part of the thigh.
3. While the meat is cooking, slice the leeks, mince the garlic, and chop the tarragon.  Measure out the butter, flour, wine, and milk, as you won’t have time to measure them out later.
4. Once the meat has browned, remove it to a plate with a pair of tongs.  Take the skillet off the heat and scrape out most of the browned bits with a metal spatula.
5. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, then add the leeks and cook for 3 minutes, until softened.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup of white wine, stirring until the brown fond is gone from the bottom of the pan.  Add additional wine if needed.  Dump the cooked veggies into a bowl and set aside.
6. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat.  Dump in the flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes to cook the flour.  Immediately dump in the wine and milk, then whisk constantly until smooth and thickened.  Add the chopped tarragon, salt, and pepper, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes and remove from the heat.
7. Chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, then stir it and the cooked veggies into the sauce.  (You’ll probably have a little extra meat; just set that aside to eat later.)  Spread the meat filling into a 9-inch pie plate and set aside to cool completely.  You can cover and refrigerate the filling at this stage and bake the pie another day.

Baking the Pie

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
2. Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface until 1/8 inch thick.  Brush the edge of the pie plate with beaten egg, then lay the pastry on top and press down the edges to seal.  Cut off the excess pastry with a sharp knife and brush the top with beaten egg.  Cut a few vent holes in the pastry and decorate as desired.
3. Bake the pie at 400 F (200 C) for 35-40 minutes, until the top is a rich golden brown.  Let the pie cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack, then serve warm with mashed potatoes or vegetables.

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Notes

• Use chicken thighs instead of breast for more flavor and moisture.
• In a hurry?  Use rotisserie or leftover roasted chicken.
• Is the sauce too thick?  Add additional wine or milk to thin it.
• Season the sauce generously.  The seasonings will be less potent once the meat and veggies are added.
• Make your own shortcrust or use store bought puff pastry.

• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: British

Keywords: shortcrust pastry, English, no cream

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