Chicken and Leek Pie
A creamy British pie built on poaching the chicken gently in the same stock that becomes the sauce, so the poaching liquid comes out already seasoned with chicken flavour instead of tasting like plain water. Sweating the leeks slowly in butter until they collapse to a soft, sweet tangle, rather than rushing them, is what keeps their flavour rounded instead of sharp and raw-tasting under the sauce.
Prep40 min
Cook75 min
Rest20 min
Servings6
Christoph's chicken and leek pie, the chicken poached in the sauce's own stock so nothing about it tastes like plain water.
Ingredients
Written for a 22 cm round tin
Units
Temperature
Servings
Poached chicken
- 800 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs rounded
- 800 ml chicken stock rounded
- 2 bay leaves rounded
Filling
- 60 g butter rounded
- 500 g leeks, white and light green parts, sliced into rings rounded
- 60 g flour rounded
- 150 ml heavy cream rounded
- 10 g Dijon mustard rounded
- to taste fine salt and black pepper rounded
Pastry
- 500 g puff pastry, ready-rolled, store-bought rounded
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash rounded
Method
- Bring the stock and bay leaves to a gentle simmer in a wide pot. Add the chicken thighs, cover, and poach gently for 15 to 18 minutes, until cooked through. Lift out the chicken and set aside. Reserve the stock; discard the bay leaves.
- Shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces once cool enough to handle.
- Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook gently for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until fully collapsed and soft but not browned.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the reserved stock, then the cream, until smooth. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the mustard and the shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes, until just warm rather than hot.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Transfer the filling to a deep pie dish.
- Roll the puff pastry slightly larger than the dish and drape it over the filling, pressing the edges to seal against the rim. Trim the excess and crimp.
- Brush with beaten egg and cut a steam vent in the centre.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until puffed and deeply golden brown all over.
Method in the Thermomix
- Place the stock and bay leaves in the mixing bowl. Arrange the chicken thighs in the simmering basket and lower into the bowl. Cook 18 min/100°C/speed 1. Lift out the basket; reserve the stock and discard the bay leaves.
- Shred the chicken once cool enough to handle.
- Place the butter and leeks in the mixing bowl. Sauté 10 min/100°C/reverse/speed 1, until soft.
- Add the flour and cook 1 min/100°C/reverse/speed 1. Add the reserved stock and cream. Cook 8 min/90°C/speed 2, until thickened.
- Add the mustard, shredded chicken and seasoning. Mix 10 sec/reverse/speed 1. Let cool as in the hand method, then continue from step 6.
Notes
- Poach the chicken in the stock that becomes the sauce, not water. The poaching liquid picks up real chicken flavour this way, instead of the sauce being built on stock alone with chicken added as an afterthought.
- Cook the leeks slowly until fully collapsed, not just softened. Rushed leeks keep a raw, sharp edge that reads as harsh under a creamy sauce; a full 12 to 15 minutes turns them soft and genuinely sweet.
- Let the filling cool to just warm, not fully cold, before topping with pastry. Fully cold filling is safest against a soggy base, but this filling is thick enough with the roux that just-warm is sufficient and keeps the assembly quicker.
- It keeps and reheats well for 3 days.
Ingredient substitutions
- Chicken breast works in place of thighs, though thighs stay juicier through the poaching and reheating.
- A handful of frozen peas, stirred in with the chicken, is a good addition.
- Tarragon in place of the mustard gives a more classic French-leaning flavour.
From Christoph Mayer