This rustic dish has been around for a few centuries and is one of the best family pies for a cold winter’s night.
THE colder nights have really started to bite this past week and if you are after an easy dish that really warms the cockles of your heart, this chicken and leek pie fits the bill.
The beauty of it is, while this one feeds four to six, you can use as large a dish, or as many sheets of pastry as it takes to fit it. In some countries, this pie is made simply using pastry as a ‘lid’, but I like a full pie which is easier to reheat the next day.
You can use cornflour if you don’t like the plain flour taste as a thickening agent, or use thickened cream in place of half the milk to give you a really thick, creamy texture.
Chicken and leek pie
Ingredients
Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1.5cm pieces
Two leeks, trimmed and sliced
One onion, diced
Two cloves of garlic, minced
Two Tbs butter
One Tbs flour
One C chicken broth
One C milk
One tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Two puff pastry sheets
One egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Method
Preheat your oven to 200C.
In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, add the diced onion, sliced leeks, and minced garlic. Sauté until they are soft and fragrant, about five minutes.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well to combine. Cook for an additional minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth and milk while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens and comes to a simmer.
Add the cooked chicken back into the pan and stir to coat it with the sauce. Season with dried thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Roll out the puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut out a circle slightly larger than the top of your pie dish for the lid and a long strip for the rim. Grease the tin and place one sheet in the bottom and up the sides.
Spoon in the chicken and leek filling. Place the second sheet over the top and press the edges to seal. Trim any excess pastry and create three vent slices in the top with a sharp knife.
Brush the beaten egg over the top of the pastry to create a golden brown crust.
Place the pie dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Slice and serve warm.
