Chicken and leek pie
Tender chicken thighs, soft leeks and smoky bacon in a creamy mustard sauce, baked under a crisp, golden puff pastry lid.
Method
- 1
Season the chicken. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and brown the chicken in batches until golden. Set aside.
- 2
Fry the bacon in the same pan until crisp.
- 3
Add the butter and leeks and cook gently until soft and silky but not browned.
- 4
Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- 5
Gradually stir in the stock, then the milk, until the sauce is smooth.
- 6
Return the chicken with the thyme and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick.
- 7
Stir in the cream, mustard and parsley and season well.
- 8
Spoon the filling into the pie dish and leave to cool.
- 9
Heat the oven to 200°C.
- 10
Brush the rim of the dish with egg, lay the pastry over the filling, trim the edges and press them down with a fork.
- 11
Brush the top with egg and cut 2 small slits for steam.
- 12
Bake until the pastry is puffed and deep golden and the filling bubbles at the edges.
Notes
- Thighs stay juicier than breast meat during the simmering and baking.
- To use leftover roast chicken, skip the browning and stir in about 600 g of shredded meat with the cream.
- Letting the filling cool before the pastry goes on keeps the lid crisp and well risen.
Equipment
Large deep frying pan or casserole, Pie dish, about 1.5 litres, Pastry brush, Fork