Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie
This Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie is an absolute British Classic! A creamy filling with a crispy puff pastry topping. Better still, it couldn't be easier to make!
Servings: 4 - 6
Cost: £3.50 / $4
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Pan & Wooden Spoon
- Jug (for stock)
- Suitable Sized Baking/Pie Dish & Baking Tray
Ingredients
- Olive Oil, as needed
- 2 Leeks, white/light green parts sliced into rounds (see notes)
- 600g / 1.3lb boneless skinless Chicken Thighs, diced into bite-sized pieces (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Salt & Black Pepper, plus more to taste
- 250g / 9oz Chestnut Mushrooms, quartered (or mushroom of choice)
- 3 tbsp / 45g Butter
- 1-2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 3 tbsp Plain Flour
- 480ml / 2 cups Chicken Stock,
- 120ml / 1/2 cup Double/Heavy Cream
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 3-4 sprigs Fresh Thyme, leaves only (approx 1 tsp)
- 1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1x 320g/11oz sheet of Puff Pastry
- 1 Egg, beaten
Instructions
- Add a drizzle of oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Space out the leeks and fry until lightly charred on both sides then remove and place to one side. Top the pan up with oil if needed.
- Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper then space out in the pan. Fry for a few mins each side to build up a golden crust then remove and place to one, leaving the excess fat behind. Don't worry too much about cooking the chicken right through at this point, this is just to build up flavour on the outside (chicken continues cooking later).
- Add the mushrooms and fry until they build up golden crust then season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium then add the butter and garlic and stir to melt the butter and lightly fry the garlic (30 seconds or so). Stir in the flour to form a roux then gradually pour in the stock and cream, stirring as you go to prevent lumps forming.
- Stir in the leeks and chicken (alongside the resting juices) then stir in the mustard, thyme and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat very slightly and stir occasionally until the sauce is nice and thick (12 or so mins). Adjust seasoning if needed then pour the filling into a suitably sized baking or pie dish and leave to cool for 15 minutes so a 'skin' forms on top. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
- Place the pastry on top and slice off excess. Use a fork to crimp around the outside then brush with egg wash. Slice a few steam holes then place on a baking tray and bake for around 20mins, or until deep golden and crisp. Leave for 5 or so mins to cool then tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Simmer before baking - It's really important to simmer the filling before you put it straight in the oven. It'll allow the flavours to develop more efficiently and will also reduce the liquid down so it doesn't come out watery on the other end.
b) Can I use Chicken Breast? - Short answer is yes, but I highly recommend using thigh due to it's high fat content. Better texture and packed with more flavour. Breast might come out a little tough due to the long cooking time.
c) Do I have to use Chestnut Mushrooms? - I like chestnut mushrooms for their 'meaty' texture, but chuck in whatever mushrooms you fancy. The main thing is to get a good bit of colour on them from frying in butter.
d) How to prep leeks - Leeks can be very dirty/sandy so it's important to wash them beforehand. As you can see I slice the leeks in rounds, so if the leek if visibly dirty then place the rounds in a bowl of water and swish around with your hand. The dirt will fall to the bottom and the leeks will rise. If the leek is a particularly dirty leek then slice lengthways and clean out the dirt that way, you just won't have rounds that's all. Either way, ensure you slice off the root and the dark green part, you can save these for soups/stock at a later date, they are too tough to use in a pie.
e) UPDATED RECIPE - New photos and video. Upped the amount of flour and butter to create a thicker sauce. No other major changes, just refined slightly.
f) Calories - Whole dish divided by 6.
Nutrition
Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.82g | Protein: 27.09g | Fat: 42.05g | Saturated Fat: 15.744g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.657g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19.035g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 3.42g | Vitamin A: 2250IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3.4mg