Description
Hearty “chicken and leek pie” delivers comfort straight from British kitchens, blending savory poultry with delicate leek flavors. Flaky pastry and rich filling promise a delightful meal you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 whole chickens
- 2 leeks, cut into pieces
- 375g (13.2 ounces) puff pastry
- 1 carrot, cut into pieces
- 1 onion, cut into pieces
- 100g (3.5 ounces) baby onions
- 100g (3.5 ounces) water chestnuts
Seasoning and Herbs:
- 10–12 peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- A handful of tarragon
Binding and Finishing:
- 50g (1.8 ounces) butter
- 25g (0.9 ounces) plain flour
- 1 egg yolk
- 100 milliliters (3.4 fluid ounces) water
Instructions
- Simmer chicken with leeks, carrots, onions, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large pot of water for 1 hour until meat is tender and flavorful.
- Allow chicken to cool slightly, then carefully remove meat from bones and shred into bite-sized pieces. Strain cooking liquid and reserve 500ml of stock.
- Prepare a roux by melting butter in a pan and whisking in flour until smooth and golden.
- Gradually incorporate reserved stock into the roux, whisking continuously to create a velvety, thickened sauce.
- In a separate pan, gently sauté baby onions and chestnuts in butter for approximately 23 minutes until lightly caramelized.
- Combine shredded chicken, fresh tarragon, sautéed onions, chestnuts, and prepared sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Transfer mixture to a pie dish, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 200C (400F).
- Carefully drape pastry over the filled pie dish, pressing edges to seal and creating decorative crimped border with a fork.
- Brush pastry surface with egg wash to ensure a glossy, golden finish.
- Bake for 30 minutes until pastry is puffed and achieved a rich, golden-brown color.
Notes
- Strain the stock carefully to ensure a clear, flavorful base for the sauce, removing any small bones or impurities.
- Save extra stock for future recipes or freeze in ice cube trays for convenient portioning.
- Using a homemade chicken stock will elevate the pie’s depth of flavor compared to store-bought alternatives.
- Consider using gluten-free flour and pastry for those with wheat sensitivities, maintaining the dish’s rich texture and taste.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg