The Best Leftover Chicken and Leek Pie (Mary Berry)
Do you have some leftovers from your Sunday roast that you donโt know what to do with? Well, why not try making a delicious leftover chicken and leek pie topped with a cheese pastry crust โ the perfect comfort food for any day of the week.
This hearty dish always brings smiles to my family, and they love it when I prepare this mealtime favourite. With its creamy texture and flavoursome combinations of roasted chicken, leeks & onions in a white cheese sauce topped with a easy to make light shortcrust pastry – bringing these ingredients together offers something special.
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Chicken and leek pie with no cream
If you’re looking for a comforting chicken and leek pie without the cream, then look no further! This pie is still flavourful thanks to the leftover strips of chicken, plenty of leeks, and a creamy sauce base made with milk (any type) and cheese. Serve it up with creamy mashed potato or some mellow boiled vegetables. Comfort food at its best!
Some tips for making this recipe
- Add any type of vegetable you like to this recipe. Celery or peas would go well.
- You could prepare ahead and make the pastry a day before.
- This dish would need to eat on the same day because you are using leftover chicken.
- Instead of using chicken, you could use smoked bacon or add it to the recipe for extra flavour!
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
Ingredients
For 4 -5 servings you will need the following ingredients
Pie Filling
- 1 Leek (Chopped)
- 1 Carrot (Chopped)
- 200 g Leftover Chicken (Stripped into little pieces)
- 1 Broccoli head (Chopped)
- 1 Onion (Chopped)
- 30 g Butter
- Salt and Pepper
Cheese Sauce
- 30 g Butter
- 30 g Plain Flour (All Purpose or corn flour)
- 300 ml Milk (Any type)
- 60 g Mature Cheddar Cheese (Grated)
- 1 tsp English Mustard
- ยผ tsp Cayenne Pepper
Cheese Shortcrust Pastry
- 250 g Plain Flour
- 120 g Butter
- 120 g Cheese (grated)
- 2 Eggs (Beaten)
How to make leek and chicken pie with a shortcrust pastry
Cheese Pastry
- Sift the flour in a bowl. Add the butter and rub in lightly until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese, then add the beaten eggs to bind to a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Chicken and Leek Filling
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Add the leeks, carrots and broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes until softened. Remove from heat.
Cheese Sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually blend in the milk with a metal whisk. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Then stir in the cheese, mustard and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble
Serving suggestions
Chicken and leek pie is an irresistible dish that is perfect for any occasion. The combination of the savory chicken and mild leeks create a delicious flavour that will have your guests coming back for more. To compliment this wonderful dish, serve it with a side of roasted potatoes or steamed vegetables. Additionally, adding a light salad to the plate will help round out the meal and provide added crunchy texture to the dish. For a truly decadent experience, pair this pie with a crisp glass of white wine!
How To Store Chicken and Leek Pie
If you’re using leftover chicken for this pie then it should be eaten the same day and not to be reheated again. You can store it in the fridge for a couple of days but you will have to eat it cold.
If you like this recipe you may also like:
Leftover Turkey, Leek and bacon Pie
Best and Worst Ways To Use Leftovers
The Best Leftover Chicken and Leek Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Leek (Chopped)
- 1 Carrot (Chopped)
- 200 g Leftover Chicken (Stripped into little pieces)
- 1 Broccoli head (Chopped)
- 1 Onion (Chopped)
- 30 g Butter
- Salt and Pepper
Cheese Sauce
- 30 g Butter
- 30 g Plain Flour (All Purpose or corn flour)
- 300 ml Milk (Any type)
- 60 g Mature Cheddar Cheese (Grated)
- 1 tsp English Mustard
- ยผ tsp Cayenne Pepper
Cheese Shortcrust Pastry
- 250 g Plain Flour
- 120 g Butter
- 120 g Cheese (grated)
- 2 Eggs (Beaten)
Instructions
Cheese Pastry
- Sift the flour in a bowl. Add the butter and rub in lightly until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese, then add the beaten eggs to bind to a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Chicken and Leek Filling
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Add the leeks, carrots and broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes until softened. Remove from heat.
Cheese Sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually blend in the milk with a metal whisk. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Then stir in the cheese, mustard and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble
- Add the sauce to the vegetables and leave aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180ยฐc Fan/200ยฐc/Gas 6/400 F.
- Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface, making sure it's big enough to cover the pie tin. The thickness should be about 0.5cm thick.
- Transfer the vegetable mixture to the pie dish and top it with the pastry. Crimp the edges with a fork and make a hole with a sharp knife in the middle of the pastry to allow steam to escape.
- Brush the pastry with egg or water and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden all over.