Chicken and Leek Pie (Printable)

Creamy chicken and leek filling encased in golden puff pastry with smoky bacon

# What You 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-forced setting).
02 - In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook bacon until golden and crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - In the same pan, add chicken pieces and brown on all sides for 5-6 minutes. Transfer to plate.
04 - Add butter to pan, then stir in onions, leeks, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook out raw flour taste.
06 - Gradually pour in milk and chicken stock while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until thickened.
07 - Stir in cooked bacon, chicken, heavy cream, mustard, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
08 - Pour filling into pie dish with approximately 1.6 quart capacity.
09 - Unroll pastry and lay over filling. Trim excess and press edges to seal. Cut several small slits in top for steam release. Brush with beaten egg.
10 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until pastry is golden and crisp. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of tender chicken thighs and smoky bacon creates layers of flavor that store bought pies simply cant match.
  • Theres something incredibly satisfying about slicing through that flaky pastry top and watching the creamy filling slowly spill across your plate like a delicious secret finally being revealed.
02 -
  • Letting the filling cool slightly before adding the pastry prevents a soggy bottom, a lesson I learned after serving a disappointingly damp pie to my very polite but clearly underwhelmed in-laws.
  • Brushing the edges of your pie dish with water before pressing down the pastry creates a better seal, preventing the filling from bubbling over and creating a burnt mess on the bottom of your oven.
03 -
  • If your pastry is browning too quickly but the filling needs more time, loosely cover the top with foil for the remainder of the baking time, a trick my grandmother taught me that has saved countless pies from burning.
  • For guests who cant have dairy, coconut cream makes a surprisingly good substitute for the double cream, adding a subtle sweetness that works beautifully with the savory elements.
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