This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This turkey and ham pie is what I most look forward to after Christmas day. It is the perfect recipe to use up leftover turkey, and turn it into a comforting, crowd-pleasing dinner. The leftover turkey is mixed with ham, stirred through a creamy white sauce. Then the pie filling is topped with garlic parsley butter, covered with puff pastry and baked until golden. The butter underneath melts into the pie, giving it a ‘chicken Kyiv’ flavour. It is so good.
Of course, I love this recipe around Christmas time as it is a great way to use up leftover turkey but you can also make it without leftovers – I have included tips on how to make it with chicken from scratch. I think pie is my ultimate comfort food. My mum’s famous chicken pie was my favourite meal growing up and now I love to make it for my children too, this turkey and ham pie included.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- It’s easy to make and is quick to assemble, it just needs time in the oven.
- A delicious way to use up leftover turkey and other Christmas leftovers.
- You can easily adapt this recipe for your personal tastes, adding what you like or need to use up.
- You could also make double the filling and freeze it for a very quick supper another day.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Cooked turkey: I make this pie with leftover turkey but leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken would work too.
Cooked ham: I just use shop-bought ham, chopped, but you could use leftover Christmas ham or shredded ham hock too.
Puff pastry: one sheet of pre-rolled puff pastry is all you need here.
Butter: use salted or unsalted, it doesn’t matter so much but just make sure you are tasting as you go to adjust the levels of seasoning.
Substitutions and Variations:
Chicken: if you don’t have leftover turkey and can’t get hold of rotisserie chicken, just roast a few chicken thighs in the oven at 200c for 30-40 mins (or until cooked through) with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt. Then shred up once cooked.
Ham: you could skip the ham and just make this a turkey pie. Ham and Cheese Pithivier is a useful recipe if you have lots of ham to use up.
Vegetables: the pies would be great with carrots and leeks. You could add a handful of frozen peas too, or a handful of kale or spinach too.
Herbs: dried rosemary, dried tarragon or dried thyme would also be delicious here.
Here’s how to make turkey and ham pie:
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Preheat the oven to 170°C fan (190°C conventional / 375°F). Melt the butter in large frying pan over a medium heat. Tip in the red onion, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook gently for around 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it.
TWO: Sprinkle in the flour and stir well until a paste comes together (the roux). Cook for 2–3 minutes, then gradually pour in milk, whisking well to prevent lumps. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until thickened.
THREE: Stir in the double cream, shredded turkey, chopped ham and chopped parsley. Add the mustard and lemon juice.
FOUR: Pour the filling into a pie dish (roughly 20–22 cm). Then make the garlic butter: mix in a bowl the softened butter, garlic, parsley and some salt and pepper.
FIVE: Add a few scoops of garlic butter on top of the pie filling. It would also be delicious with a few scoops of cafe de paris butter.
SIX: Unroll the puff pastry and lay it over the top of the pie dish, trimming any excess around the edges. To seal it, press the edges down with a fork or your fingers.
SEVEN: Brush the top with beaten egg and a few sea salt flakes. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
Cooking Tips:
How to ensure the pastry crisps: Since this pie only has a top and no pastry base, you shouldn’t get soggy pastry anyway. For a golden crisp top, I like to brush the top with only egg yolks for a really deep colour and make sure it has enough time in the oven for the colour to really build.
My pastry is browning too quickly: cover the pie with foil to stop the browing but keep cooking the rest of the pie.
Frequently Asked Questions
To turn this recipe into mini turkey and ham pies, simply add the filling to individual pie dishes/ramekins and top with pastry. Bake as instructed below.
To make a dairy-free pie, use dairy free butter for frying and then use a plant-based milk in the sauce. Use an unflavoured milk so not something like coconut milk or hazelnut milk – oat or soy better.
Assemble the pie up until the egg wash. Then wrap tightly in cling film and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight to defrost, brush with egg wash, then bake for 35 minutes 170c fan/190c. If you want to bake from frozen, you can do this at 170c fan/190c for an hour covered and then 30 minutes uncovered. The exact time will depend on the size of your pie so make sure it is piping hot before serving.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you liked this recipe for turkey and ham pie using up Christmas leftovers, you will also love my turkey and rice soup, fig and brie tart and my tomato parmesan bean stew for leftover veggies. For more comfort food, you will like my creamy pastina recipe.
Comfort Food
Chicken Mini Pot Pies
Easy Dinner Recipes
Creamy Chicken Pie with Mushrooms & Leeks
Easy Baking Recipes
Blackberry Pie with Cream Cheese
Christmas Recipes
Speedy Mince Pies
If you tried this Turkey and Ham Pie or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Leftover Turkey and Ham Pie
Ingredients
For the pie:
- 40 g butter
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- Salt and black pepper
- 450 ml whole milk
- 100 ml double cream
- 300 g cooked turkey, shredded
- 250 g cooked ham, chopped
- Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 beaten egg, for egg wash
For the garlic butter
- 120 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan (190°C conventional / 375°F).
- Melt the butter in large frying pan over a medium heat. Tip in the red onion, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook gently for around 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir well until a paste comes together (the roux). Cook for 2–3 minutes then gradually pour in milk, whisking well to prevent lumps. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in the double cream, shredded turkey, chopped ham and chopped parsley. Add the mustard and lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning – it will definitely want a good grind of black pepper.
- Pour the filling into a pie dish (roughly 20–22 cm).
- Then make the garlic butter: mix in a bowl the softened butter, garlic, parsley and some salt and pepper.
- Add a few scoops of garlic butter on top of the pie filling.
- Unroll the puff pastry and lay it over the top of the pie dish, 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 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is my favourite way to use up leftover turkey – this pie is so good and so easy to make!