Creamy Chicken Pie with Mushrooms and Leeks

chicken pie with mushrooms in a pie dish.

Creamy Chicken Pie with Mushrooms and Leeks

This creamy chicken pie with mushrooms and leeks is like a hug in a dish. It's full of sweet leeks, nutty mushrooms, shredded chicken in a creamy, herby sauce, topped with golden crisp pastry.

Prep Time30

Cook Time35

Total Time1 5

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: British

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
40 g butter
1 small red onion chopped
1 large leek washed and finely chopped
200 g chestnut mushrooms chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
2 tbsp plain flour
Salt and black pepper
450 ml hot chicken stock
100 ml double cream
2 cooked chicken breasts shredded or chopped (approx. 300 g)
Small handful of fresh parsley chopped
1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
1 beaten egg for egg wash
20 g grated Parmesan
A sprinkling of sea salt flakes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan (190°C conventional / 375°F).
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 (roughly 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 baking paper and lay the ready-rolled puff pastry sheet on top. Slice the pastry lengthways so you have two long thin strips.
Take one of the rectangles of pastry and use a knife to slice it horizontally, around 1cm apart, leaving a border around the edges on all sides.
Spoon the filling down the centre of the other long thin rectangle of pastry, leaving a gap at the top and bottom. Brush the border with beaten egg.
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 170°C fan for 30–35 minutes, until golden and crisp. Grate over parmesan at the end!

Notes

Scroll up for a step by step guide on how to make this chicken mushroom pie.

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 170°c fan / 190°c conventional for 15–20 minutes, or until piping hot in the centre. Or in the air fryer: 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.

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.

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