Mary Berry chicken and leek pie sautés leeks and chicken, builds a mustard-cream sauce thickened with flour, then tops the filling with puff pastry and bakes until golden, ready in about 50 minutes. Letting the filling cool slightly before transferring it to the pie dish, as the instructions specify, keeps the puff pastry from melting or going soggy when it's laid on top.
Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Pie
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large leeks, trimmed and sliced
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup whole milk or cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté for 5–6 minutes until soft.
- Add chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir well to coat the chicken and leeks.
- Gradually pour in chicken stock and stir until thickened. Add milk or cream and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Transfer mixture to a pie dish.
- Top with puff pastry, pressing edges to seal and cutting slits to vent. Brush with egg wash.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Use leftover roasted chicken to save time.
- Add cooked mushrooms or peas for extra flavor.
- Can be made ahead and baked just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 slice
- Calories
- 430
- Sugar
- 3g
- Sodium
- 380mg
- Fat
- 26g
- Saturated Fat
- 10g
- Unsaturated Fat
- 14g
- Trans Fat
- 0g
- Carbohydrates
- 25g
- Fiber
- 2g
- Protein
- 28g
- Cholesterol
- 105mg
Why the filling cools before the pastry goes on
- Sautéing the leeks until soft before adding the chicken means they've already released their moisture and started to caramelize, rather than steaming the chicken in raw leek liquid.
- Sprinkling flour over the leeks and chicken before adding stock, the same technique used in classic pot pie fillings, builds a roux right in the pan that thickens the sauce without a separate step.
How to get a puffed, golden pastry lid
- Cut slits in the pastry to vent steam, as the instructions specify, so it puffs evenly instead of ballooning or splitting unevenly.
- Use leftover roasted chicken to save time, per the recipe's own notes, skipping the initial browning step.
- Brush the pastry with egg wash before baking, as the instructions specify, since that is what gives the lid its golden colour rather than a pale finish.
- Make sure the chicken is cooked through during the skillet stage, before the filling goes into the dish, so the bake is only about the pastry.
Troubleshooting
The pastry didn't puff evenly.
Make sure slits were cut to vent steam, as the instructions specify, and that the filling had cooled slightly before the pastry went on, since a very hot filling can start cooking the pastry from underneath unevenly.
The sauce is too thin.
Make sure the flour was fully stirred into the leeks and chicken before the stock was added, since this roux step is what gives the sauce its body.
Pastry bottom turns soggy.
try blind baking the base for 10 minutes before adding filling.
Refrigerate promptly and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the oven rather than a microwave until the chicken filling reaches 165°F (74°C); oven reheating keeps the pastry closer to its baked texture, though it will not be identical to freshly baked.
Serve with a simple green vegetable or buttered potatoes alongside.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Pie ahead of time?
Yes! Prepare the filling up to two days ahead and refrigerate. Assemble with pastry just before baking for best results. Alternatively, freeze the unbaked pie for up to three months.
What’s the best way to reheat leftover pie?
Cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Microwaving works in a pinch but will soften the crisp pastry.
Can I use rotisserie chicken in this recipe?
Absolutely! Shredded rotisserie chicken saves time and adds flavor. Add it to the sauce at the end of cooking to prevent it from becoming tough.
What can I substitute for leeks?
Sweet onions or shallots make excellent substitutes. For a different flavor profile, try fennel bulb sliced thinly and sautéed until tender.
Is Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Pie suitable for freezing?
Yes, freeze either before baking or after. If freezing baked pie, cool completely first, then wrap well. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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