Recreate this rich and creamy British classic in your own kitchen. This Chicken and Leek Pie Recipe includes instructions for making a large pie in the oven or using your pie maker for individual Chicken and Leek pies.

chicken and leek pie cut open with pies stacked in backround.

Chicken and leek: a perfect pairing

You really can't beat a good pie, and chicken and leek is a winning combo when it comes to pie fillings.

Chicken, with its mild and versatile taste, provides a neutral backdrop that allows the distinct flavour of leeks to shine. Leeks, part of the onion family, offer a delicate and slightly sweet onion-like flavour with a subtle hint of garlic. When cooked together, the flavours meld, creating an absolutely satisfying taste experience.

Leeks: Wales' national emblem

Did you know that the humble leek is a well established as part of Welsh culture and considered a national emblem? True!

Wearing a leek as a symbol that you are Welsh is an ancient tradition, and was even mentioned in William Shakespeare’s Henry V – performed as far back as the 16th century.

Why would you even think of wearing a leek? Apparently the 7th century king of Gwynedd, Cadwaladr, decided his men should wear a leek in battles to distinguish themselves from the enemy. It stuck, and the Tudor royal household – a family of Welsh origin – asked their guards to wear leeks on St David’s Day.

Interesting, right? But fortunately we're here to eat leeks –with chicken – in a pie rather than wear them!

Recipe for Chicken and Leek Pie

This recipe includes instructions for making chicken and leek pie in the oven and in the pie maker.

I prefer the pie maker version. Pie makers cook the pastry so wonderfully and seal the pie so well. I'm not one for kitchen gadgets, but I seriously love my pie maker. They are quite affordable, mine is just from Kmart, so if you love pies I recommend investing in one.

Ingredients for Chicken and Leek Pie

To make this delish pie you'll need:

Chicken

chicken breast
bay leaf

Or use leftover BBQ chicken – about 2-3 cups shredded.

Other filling ingredients

leek
potatoes
olive oil
tarragon
cornflour (cornstarch)
hot chicken stock
thickened cream (heavy cream)
seeded mustard
lemon juice
chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Pastry

store-bought frozen shortcrust and puff pastry sheets – 1 or 2 of each for large pie and 3 of each for individual pies
milk or egg wash to brush pastry (for pies baked in oven only).

Please note that the quantities for all ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

chicken and leek pie ingredients on kitchen bench.

How to make Chicken and Leek Pie

Cooking the chicken

For this recipe, I poach a chicken breast. However if you have leftover chicken, just shred the chicken – you'll need about 2 cups.

To poach the chicken breast, I use Nagi from RecipeTin's method. She's brilliant and her method of poaching chicken is the best technique I've come across.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil.

Once boiling, add the chicken breast and bay leaf. The water will stop boiling. Once the water starts boiling again, place a lid on the saucepan and allow chicken to sit in the water and poach for 30 minutes.

Once the time has elapsed, shred chicken into pieces using two forks.

You can make the filling while the chicken is poaching. Here's how to do that.

Making the filling

Cook the sliced leek, grated potato and ¾ of the measured amount of tarragon in the oil in a large frying pan over low-medium heat for 5 minutes.

Combine the cornflour with a little cold water to form a runny paste and then combine that with hot chicken stock. Add this to the leek and potatoes and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until mixture thickens.

Next, add the cream, mustard, lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt and pepper and cooked, shredded chicken.

Cook over medium heat for another minute or two.

collage showing how to make chicken leek pie.

Making a large pie in the oven

Make sure to pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees celsius and grease the pie dish (24cm approx).

Line the pie dish with shortcrust pastry and add a layer of baking paper weighed down with baking beads or rice.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and carefully remove weights and baking paper.

Spoon the filling into the pie dish.

Place the puff pastry sheet over filling and press the edges to seal before trimming excess pastry.

Brush the pastry with a little milk or egg wash and cut two small slits in the top. Sprinkle with remaining tarragon.

Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry on top of pie puffs and browns.

Using your pie maker

Preheat your pie maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Lightly grease the pie maker's cooking plates with cooking spray or melted butter.

Place one shortcrust pastry circle into each pie cavity, gently pressing it into the base and up the sides.

Spoon the chicken and leek filling into each pie, ensuring it is evenly distributed.

Top each pie with another puff pastry circle.

Sprinkle with a little tarragon before closing the pie maker and cooking for the recommended time specified by the manufacturer or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through.

Carefully remove the pies from the pie maker and allow them to cool slightly before serving.

chicken and leek pies stacked on counter.

Enjoy pies served warm.

Leftover chicken leek pie stores well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (provided the chicken was cooked the day the pies were made).

If freezing, wrap pies in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before re-heating.

Want more pie recipes?

Check out my recipes for:

Chicken and Leek Pie