Chicken and Leek Pie
by Tavolino
A comforting, classic British-style pie featuring tender poached chicken and leeks in a creamy mustard sauce, topped with a golden, flaky puff pastry lid and hard-boiled eggs.
Ingredients
- whole corn-fed chicken 1.5 kg
- peppercorns 0.5 tsp
- bay leaves 2
- thyme sprigs 3-4
- onion 1
- celery stick 1
- eggs 4
- butter 25 g
- olive oil 2 tbsp
- bacon rashers 6
- leeks 2
- plain flour 2 tbsp
- grainy mustard 2 tbsp
- crème fraîche 4 tbsp
- chopped fresh parsley 4 tbsp
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
- puff pastry 250 g
- beaten egg 250 g
Preparation
- 1
Place the 1.5 kg whole corn-fed chicken in a large pot, cover with water, and add 0.5 tsp peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 3-4 thyme sprigs, 1 onion, and 1 celery stick.
- 2
Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 60 minutes until the chicken is tender.
- 3
Place 4 eggs in boiling water and cook for 8 minutes, then refresh in cold water, peel, and halve.
- 4
Remove the chicken from the pot, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, and strain the broth.
- 5
In a large pan, heat 25 g butter and 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
- 6
Add 6 chopped bacon rashers to the pan and fry until crisp.
- 7
Add 2 sliced leeks to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- 8
Stir in 2 tbsp plain flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- 9
Gradually pour in 300 ml of the reserved chicken broth, stirring constantly to create a smooth sauce.
- 10
Stir in 2 tbsp grainy mustard, 4 tbsp crème fraîche, 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- 11
Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and season to taste.
- 12
Transfer the mixture to a pie dish and arrange the halved eggs on top.
- 13
Preheat your oven to 200°C.
- 14
Roll out 250 g puff pastry and drape it over the dish, trimming the edges and crimping to seal.
- 15
Brush the pastry lid with 250 g beaten egg.
- 16
Bake the pie in the oven for 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.