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This creamy Chicken Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms is like a hug in a dish. It’s a classic for a reason, and I love it throughout winter and autumn for something cozy and comforting. It’s full of sweet leeks, nutty mushrooms, shredded chicken in a creamy, herby sauce, topped with golden, crisp pastry.
Table of Contents
This chicken pie recipe has rich flavor, crisp texture, and just a delicious warmth. Below you’ll find step-by-step instructions, pastry tips, variations and troubleshooting, and FAQs. You might also want to try my Mini Chicken Pot Pies, Whole Roasted Poule au Pot, or One-Pan Greek Chicken.
Why you will love this recipe
- It’s pure comfort food with golden, buttery puff pastry wrapped around a rich, creamy chicken, leek, and mushroom filling that feels like a warm hug in food form.
- Made with ready-rolled puff pastry and simple ingredients, it looks and tastes impressive but is very easy.
- The pie is make-ahead friendly – the filling can be prepared in advance or frozen, making it perfect for busy weeknights or effortless entertaining.
Ingredients
- Red onion – Red onions add a nice amount of sweetness. You could also use a shallot or white onion.
- Leeks – Make sure to wash them well to remove any dirt trapped in the folds. I cut the leek in half lengthways but keep the root on. Then wash in running water, separating the layers, but with the root intact, it will keep it together.
- Cooked chicken – I make this pie often with leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken. Like my Turkey and Ham Pie, you could also swap chicken for leftover turkey here. Or, roast a few chicken thighs and shred up if you need.
- Heavy cream (double cream) – The thick base for the creamy chicken pie filling.
Substitutions and variations
Add bacon or pancetta: Fry some diced bacon or pancetta at the start, then remove from the pan and add the mushrooms. I use this in my Mini Chicken Pot Pies.
Vegetarian option: Swap the chicken for canned white beans.
Chicken: If you don’t have leftover roast chicken and can’t get hold of rotisserie chicken, just roast a few chicken thighs in the oven at 428°F (220°C/200°C fan) for 30-40 mins (or until cooked through) with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Then shred up once cooked. Turkey would also be excellent, and you could add in some chopped ham too.
One-pan chicken mushroom pie: For a simpler method, skip the pie dish and make the filling in an ovenproof frying pan. Place the puff pastry topping directly on top of the pan and bake.
Chicken Pie Plait: I also like to serve this as a plait (well, a cheat’s plait). The instructions for both versions of the pie are in the recipe card, but it’s very simple to do as I just make little slits in the pastry rather than actually plaiting. I’ll explain here what I mean.
How to make chicken plait pie
Here’s a quick visual guide — the full recipe with exact measurements is below
ONE: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes until they start to soften. Add the chopped red onion and leek, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook gently for around 10 minutes until soft and fragrant.
TWO: Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to make a roux. Cook for 2–3 minutes.
THREE: Gradually pour in chicken stock, whisking well to prevent lumps. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until thickened.
FOUR: Stir in the cream, shredded chicken, and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning – it will definitely want a good grind of black pepper. If you want to make it a classic pie, scroll down to the full recipe.
FIVE: Once the filling has chilled, you are ready to assemble the pie. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the ready-rolled puff pastry sheet on top. Slice the pastry lengthways, so you have 2 thin long strips.
Spoon the filling down the center of the one rectangle of pastry, leaving a gap at the top and bottom. Brush the border with beaten egg.
SIX: Take the other pastry and use a knife to slice it horizontally, around 1/3 inch (1 cm) apart, leaving a border around the edges on all sides.
Lay the sliced pastry sheet over the filling and seal the edges with a fork.
Brush all over with beaten egg, sprinkle with thyme and sea salt flakes, and bake at 375°F (190°C/170°C fan) for 30–35 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Tips from Margie’s kitchen
| Problem | Possible Cause | Fix / Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Filling too thin | Not reduced enough / overloaded with liquid | Return to heat, simmer gently until thickened |
| Pastry not browning | Low oven heat / no egg wash | Brush with egg (or even just egg yolk), ensure the oven is hot enough |
| Mushrooms release water | Too many mushrooms / cooked too fast | Don’t overcrowd the pan with mushrooms; fry the mushrooms until liquid evaporates, and if needed, drain any excess water. |
| Filling bubbles out edges | Overfilling / weak seal | Reduce filling in the plait/dish next time; seal edges well with beaten egg. |
Frequently asked questions
Cremini (chestnut) mushrooms are ideal: they balance flavor with lower water content. Portobello have stronger flavor but tend to release more moisture, which may risk thinning the filling. I also like button mushrooms, as you don’t need to slice them and can add them whole.
Yes, leftover roast chicken works perfectly. It saves time and adds extra flavor. Just shred it into bite-sized pieces before adding to the sauce.
Yes, assemble the unbaked pie, wrap tightly in foil and plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. You can bake from frozen; just bake covered with foil for an hour and then at 375°F (190°C/170°C fan) for 20–30 minutes uncovered. Or you can freeze the filling separately and top with fresh pastry when ready.
To make mini chicken pies, divide the filling between small ramekins or mini pie dishes and top each with a pastry circle. Reduce the baking time to around 20-25 minutes.
Other recipes you might enjoy
If you like this chicken and mushroom pie recipe, you will like my Butternut Squash Gratin, Whole Roasted Chicken and Creamy Beans, or my melty cheese Pithivier with Ham and Mustard. For more comfort food, you will like this Creamy Pastina recipe.
Easy Dinner Recipes
Tomato Puff Pastry Tart
Comfort Food
Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Christmas Recipes
Camembert en Croute (Whole Baked Camembert in Puff Pastry)
If you tried this Chicken, Leek, and Mushroom Pie or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Creamy Chicken, Leek, and Mushroom Pie
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1.5 oz butter, about 3 tbsp
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 large leek, washed and finely chopped
- 7 oz cremini (chestnut) mushrooms, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- Salt and black pepper
- 15.25 fl oz hot chicken stock, about scant 2 cups
- 3.5 fl oz heavy cream (double cream), about 1/3 cup
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or chopped (approx. 10 1/2 oz / 300 g)
- Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 beaten egg, for egg wash
- 0.75 oz grated Parmesan
- A sprinkling of sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan).
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes until they start to soften. Add the chopped red onion and leek, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook gently for around 10 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it.
- Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to make a roux. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then gradually pour in chicken stock, whisking well to prevent lumps. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in the double cream, shredded chicken, and chopped parsley.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning – it will definitely want a good grind of black pepper.
To make it a classic pie:
- Pour the filling into a pie dish, 8-9 inches (20-22 cm).
- Unroll the puff pastry and lay it over the top, trimming any excess around the edges.
- To seal it, press the edges down with a fork or your fingers. If you want to make the patchwork pattern, cut the sheet of puff pastry into small squares and lay them on top of the pie filling, slightly overlapping as you go.
- Brush the top with beaten egg, dried thyme and a few sea salt flakes.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
- Allow the pie to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Grate with Parmesan before serving too!
To make it a cheat's plait pie (you will likely have enough filling for two plaits):
- The filling must be chilled, so give yourself time for it to chill before you assemble. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and lay the ready-rolled puff pastry sheet on top. Slice the pastry lengthways, so you have two thin strips.
- Spoon the filling down the center of one pastry, leaving a gap at the top and bottom. Brush the border with beaten egg.
- Take the other pastry and use a knife to slice it horizontally, around 1/3 inch (1 cm) apart, leaving a border around the edges on all sides.
- Lay the sliced pastry sheet over the filling and seal the edges with a fork.
- Brush all over with beaten egg and sea salt flakes, and bake at 375°F (190°C/170°C fan) for 30–35 minutes, until golden and crisp. Grate over Parmesan at the end!
Notes
Make-ahead and storage
Make-ahead: Make the filling up to 3 days in advance and store in the fridge. When ready, assemble with fresh puff pastry and bake as directed. You can also assemble the entire pie up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and chill unbaked. To store: Once baked and cooled, cover the pie with foil or transfer to an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat: Reheat in the oven at 375°F (190°C/170°C fan) for 15–20 minutes, or until piping hot in the center. Or in the air fryer: 320°F (160°C) for 8–10 minutes, until crisp and hot. Avoid microwaving if you can, as it softens the pastry. To freeze: Assemble the unbaked pie, wrap tightly in foil and plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. You can bake from frozen; just bake covered with foil for an hour and then 20–30 minutes uncovered. Or you can freeze the filling separately and top with fresh pastry when ready. Filling only: The cooked filling freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then add to your chosen dish and cover with pastry.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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