Chicken and Leek Pie (Printable)

Tender chicken and leeks in a creamy sauce with smoky bacon, topped with golden flaky pastry.

# What You'll 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 and 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
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Pastry

16 - 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry, approximately 11.3 oz
17 - 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (180°C fan). In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until golden and crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel.
02 - In the same pan, add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Brown on all sides for 5 to 6 minutes until golden. Transfer to a clean plate and reserve.
03 - Add butter to the pan and reduce heat to medium. Stir in the onions, leeks, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until vegetables are softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stirring continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste and create a paste-like consistency.
05 - Gradually pour in the milk and chicken stock while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened to a creamy consistency.
06 - Stir in the reserved bacon, chicken, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and fresh thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
07 - Pour the filling into a large pie dish with approximately 1.6 quart capacity. Unroll the puff pastry and lay it over the filling. Trim any excess pastry and press the edges firmly to seal. Cut 3 to 4 small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Brush the entire surface with beaten egg.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The bacon renders right into the filling, making every bite taste like someone knew exactly what they were doing.
  • Leeks soften into this sweet, silky thing that feels special but requires zero fancy technique.
  • One pie feeds six people and tastes even better the next day if there's any left.
02 -
  • If you skip the cooling step and pour hot filling into the pastry, the bottom will never crisp properly and you'll end up with soggy pastry—wait those 10 minutes.
  • Leeks need proper cleaning; slice them, soak in cold water, and separate the layers to catch hidden grit between the white and green sections.
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife to trim pastry edges cleanly; ragged edges don't seal properly and can lead to leaking filling during baking.
  • If your pastry cracks, use scraps mixed with a tiny bit of water to patch weak spots before egg washing—the egg wash will seal everything together.
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