Easy Chicken and Leek Pie

There’s something so comforting about a creamy chicken pie with golden, flaky pastry, and this Easy Chicken and Leek Pie delivers all that. A classic combination, the leeks bring a gentle, sweet onion flavor that pairs beautifully with tender chicken, while ready-made short crust pastry does the heavy lifting. It’s a family-friendly dinner that tastes as good as it looks – and you can assemble it the day before or have one in the freezer ready to go!

Servings: 6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken breast fillet, cut into 2 cm dice

• 2 leeks, washed and cut into thin rounds

• 3 heaped tablespoons plain flour

• 2 heaped teaspoons chicken stock powder

• 200 ml cream

• Pepper, to taste

• Spray oil

• 3 sheets ready-made short-crust pastry

• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

  
  

Method

1. Cook the leeks and chicken

Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the sliced leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove to a plate.

Increase the heat to high and add the chicken breast cubes to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken changes color and the juices are released.

2. Build the sauce

Return the leek to the pan, then add the flour, pepper, and chicken stock powder. Stir until the mixture thickens and you hear a sizzle from the pan – that’s the flour cooking out (important for flavor!).

Add the cream, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning – but don’t taste the chicken yet, as it may not be fully cooked through. It will finish cooking while baking.

3. Cool the filling

Leave the mixture to cool. For quicker cooling, transfer to a shallow dish and pop it in the fridge.

4. Line the dish with pastry

While the chicken cools, spray a 20 x 30 cm (5 cm deep) casserole dish with oil.

Lay one sheet of pastry in the middle, pressing it up the sides. From a second sheet, cut two strips about 10 cm wide and use them to line the short ends of the dish, overlapping the first sheet. Press the joins firmly to seal.

5. Assemble the pie

Fill with the cooled chicken mixture and spread evenly. Use the remaining pastry to cover the top (you will need 1 full sheet and the left overs from the sheet you cut to line the bottom of the pie). Crimp the edges well – don’t worry if the corners or sides are thick; they’ll become crunchy and delicious.

With a sharp knife, cut 2–3 small slits in the top to let steam escape (this prevents a soggy crust). Return the assembled pie to the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

6. Bake

Preheat oven to 190°C. Remove the pie from the fridge and brush the top and edges with beaten egg.

Bake for 45 minutes, checking at 40 minutes. The pie should be very golden on top. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes & Tips

• Make ahead: Assemble the pie the day before, cover and refrigerate then brush with egg and bake just before serving.

• Freeze: The uncooked pie can be frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge – check the center with a skewer to make sure it’s thawed; if still a bit frozen, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Egg wash the top just before cooking.

• Twist: Add sliced mushrooms to the leek and chicken for an extra savory layer.

  
  

Enjoy your beautifully golden, creamy chicken and leek pie!