This delicious chicken and leek pie is made with some of my favorite ingredients: a flaky shortcrust, tender chicken, leeks, and cheese.
Flaky crust, chicken, and leeks make one of my favorite pies: chicken and leek pie.
I love pies. I got to know them while living in the UK, and I have been making one savory pie or another regularly for many years now. I can't even recall how many times I've baked this chicken and ham pie, for instance. Or try the Chicken Mushroom and Leek Pie or the Cast-Iron Skillet Shepherd's Pie.
This is a great pie not only for a family lunch or dinner but also for guests or to take on a picnic. It also makes a nice, easy-going Easter brunch meal, for instance. It looks and tastes festive, but it is also quick and easy to make.
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Ingredients
Chicken: This pie recipe allows you to use up some chicken leftovers. I do have leftovers whenever I buy a rotisserie chicken or when I make a whole roasted chicken, and this pie is the perfect solution for those leftovers.
- Chicken breast or chicken thighs are both fine; use whatever you happen to have. If I make the recipe with fresh chicken, I tend to cook chicken breast; it goes so quickly.
- And you can definitely use turkey leftovers as well.
Leeks: You will need a large leek or several smaller ones, about 250 g/ 8.8. Make sure to clean the leeks very thoroughly before using them; the dirt always finds its way between the leek's many layers, mostly at the transition from the white to the green part of the plant.
Dairy: Use a good melting cheese. I often use Gouda or Cheddar, but another kind of cheese you enjoy when making a casserole or similar should be fine.
Otherwise, you will need flour, unsalted butter, and an egg yolk for the crust, and 1 red bell pepper, three eggs, and heavy cream for the filling.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make chicken and leek pie?
Shortcrust
- Start with the crust, as it will need half an hour to chill in the fridge.
- Make sure that the butter is very cold. You could cut it into small pieces, place them on a plate and place the plate in the freezer for only 10 minutes. This way, you can be sure that the butter is really cold, which is the way it is supposed to be when making pastry.
- Place the flour, salt, yolk, and butter in a food processor and process until the mixture gets crumbly. Add one tablespoon of water, and process very shortly until you obtain bigger lumps.
- You will probably not need the second tablespoon of water. Pinch the dough with your fingers; if it holds together, it is already fine.
- Place the dough on the working surface and knead very shortly, just enough to bring it together and form a disc.
- Wrap in plastic foil/cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, roll the dough to a circle of about 30 cm/10-inch diameter, which is a bit larger than the tin you will need.
- The working surface and the rolling pin should be lightly floured.
- Carefully lift it and place it in the buttered springform.
- Don't worry if it tears; you can easily stick it back together by pressing it with your fingers.
- Form a nice, tall rim as well.
- Prick the crust all over with a fork.
Filling
- While the pie crust still chills in the refrigerator, make the filling and preheat the oven.
- Cook the chicken in the chicken stock. Remove and let cool slightly. Chop it into small cubes.
- Clean the leek well and chop it as well.
- Chop the red bell pepper.
- Mix the chicken and the vegetables in a large bowl.
- Grate the cheese.
- In another bowl, mix together the egg, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Be generous with the salt; the filling needs it.
Assemble
- Place the chicken and veggie mixture into the springform.
- Carefully pour in the egg-heavy cream mixture.
- Sprinkle with the cheese.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, depending on your oven.
- The crust should be really golden, the cheese golden brown, the filling should be set, and the crust should be cooked through.
- Leave the pie in the form for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Recipe FAQs
My favorite side dish is a green salad with a vinaigrette or yogurt dressing.
You could also make some French-style green beans, buttered green peas, or roasted broccoli.
Refrigerate for about 2 days.
Reheat in the oven at 180°C/ 350°F for about 15 minutes or until piping hot.
Freeze wrapped in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
Reheat from frozen as instructed above, and add a few minutes if the pie is not piping hot.
More savory pies?
- Chicken and Ham Pie - Traditional English cooking: chicken and ham pie with peas, a luscious white sauce, and puff pastry.
- Gibanica - Serbian Cheese Pie - Delicious layered cheese pie or cheese pita made with phyllo or yufka dough and lots of cheese.
- Sweet Potato Tart - Puff pastry pie with roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized balsamic onions, and cheese.
- Spinach Feta Pie - Börek - Phyllo pastry filled with spinach, feta, and Parmesan, a tender Turkish Börek that can be eaten either hot or cold.
- Easy Quiche with Cheese and Green Onions - A wonderful, easy quiche with cheese and green onions, perfect for brunch, a picnic, or another casual gathering with friends.
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Chicken and Leek Pie
Ingredients
- 225 g all-purpose flour 8 oz/ 1 ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 115 g unsalted butter very cold, 4 oz/ ½ cup/ 1 stick
- 1 egg yolk
- 1-2 tablespoons cold water
- 450 g chicken breast 1 lb (Note 2)
- 250 ml chicken stock 1 cup, if the chicken is not already cooked
- 1 very large leek about 250 g/ 8.8 oz
- 1 red bell pepper
- 100 g cheese 1 cup, grated (Gouda or Cheddar)
- 3 eggs
- 300 ml heavy cream 1 ¼ cups
- nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the pastry: Cut the cold butter into small pieces. Place the flour, salt, yolk, and butter in a food processor and process until the mixture is crumbly. Add one tablespoon water, and process very shortly until you obtain bigger lumps. Only add more water if necessary, pinch the dough; if it holds together, it is okay. Place the dough on the working surface and knead very shortly, just enough to bring it together and form a disc. Wrap in kitchen foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Cook chicken: In the meantime, cook the chicken in some chicken stock if your chicken is not already cooked. Once cooked, remove from the stock and let cool. Cut into small pieces.
- Prepare vegetables: Thoroughly clean the leeks, chop them. Chop the red pepper into small pieces as well.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a springform (26 cm/ 10 inches diameter).
- Roll: Take the dough disc out of the fridge and roll it on a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin. Roll it into a circle of about 30 cm/ 12 inches. Carefully transfer to the prepared tin and push with the fingers to fix any dough cracks and form the rim. Prick with a fork all over.
- Fill: Mix the chicken, leeks, and pepper. Place into the tin. Beat the eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt (generously), and pepper in a bowl. Pour the mixture into the springform Sprinkle with the grated cheese.
- Bake in the hot oven for about 50 - 55 minutes until golden brown and set. Take the pie out of the oven and let it stand for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- It's preferable to use a kitchen scale when making the pastry, it guarantees for best results.
- You can use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Leftover cooked turkey would be great as well.
