Chicken, Leek and Ham Pie with Flaky Pastry
A savory British-style pie combining poached chicken breast, smoky ham, and tender leeks bound in a silky white wine and cream sauce, topped with golden flaky pastry. Comfort food that serves a crowd, with make-ahead convenience.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breast
- 9 oz ham, cut into chunky cubes
- 3 large leek, finely sliced
- 1 packet flaky pastrypuff pastryequalpastry
puffier layers
- 7 tbsp dry white wine
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 14 tbsp heavy cream
- 5 ½ tbsp butter
- ⅝ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 egg yolk, beaten
- salt, to taste(optional)
- pepper, to taste(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F.
- 2
Wrap chicken breasts tightly in cling film.
- 3
Place wrapped breasts in a large saucepan, cover completely with water.
- 4
Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 20-30 minutes.
- 5
Remove from heat and leave to cool in the water.
- 6
Heat olive oil in a saute pan and gently saute leeks until soft, avoiding browning.
- 7
Melt butter in a medium saucepan, add flour and stir into a paste.
- 8
Cook the paste for 2 minutes.
- 9
Add wine and stir well.
- 10
Remove from heat and add milk gradually, beating well with a wooden spoon until thick and lump-free.
- 11
Return to heat and bring sauce to a boil, stirring continuously.
- 12
Reduce heat and simmer sauce for 10 minutes.
- 13
Remove from heat and stir in cream.
- 14
Season with salt and pepper.
- 15
Unwrap cooled chicken and slice into large chunks.
- 16
Add chicken and ham to sauce, fold in leeks and mix well.
- 17
Roll out pastry to ⅛" thick and cut to fit pie dish with slight overhang.
- 18
Line the lip of the dish with leftover pastry.
- 19
Fill dish with chicken mixture.
- 20
Brush a half-inch strip around the edge of pastry lid with beaten egg yolk.
- 21
Place lid egg side down on pie and pinch edges firmly to seal.
- 22
Trim excess pastry, brush lid with remaining egg yolk and make a small center slit.
- 23
Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Tips
Poaching chicken in water keeps it moist; cool in liquid to retain moisture.
Do not brown leeks as this affects the delicate flavor of the sauce.
Beat milk in gradually while off heat to prevent lumps forming in the sauce.
Ensure pastry seal is firm to prevent filling from leaking during baking.
Egg wash should be applied only to the lid, not the sealed edges, for best adhesion.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking, or freeze unbaked pie up to 1 month. Thaw overnight before baking, adding 5-10 minutes to bake time.
Prepare filling up to 1 day ahead. Assemble pie with pastry up to 4 hours before baking and refrigerate.
Serve warm, straight from the oven. Pairs well with steamed vegetables or a simple green salad.
Common Mistakes
Brown leeks to avoid dulling the delicate onion-leek flavor profile
Add milk too quickly to avoid lumps in the sauce
Skip egg wash to avoid pastry lacking golden color and shine
Seal pastry edges weakly to prevent filling leaking into the oven