Chicken and leeks combine to create a timeless classic pie. However, I’ve strived to make a lighter version by making my own stock and using filo pastry. But don’t worry, this chicken and leek pie is still just as delicious.
What’s in my Chicken and Leek Pie?
Well, that’s obvious, it’s chicken and Leeks. However, it is a question which requires a little more explanation. First, we need to make the chicken and leek filling, for which we’ll make our own chicken stock by poaching the chicken, and then we’ll make a creamy sauce using the strained stock, leeks, and double cream.
Chicken Breasts—Chicken thighs might be preferred for this chicken and leek pie as they tend to retain their juices better when cooked for a prolonged period. However, chicken breasts offer a leaner protein source and reduce the amount of fat leaking into our homemade stock.
Leeks—To prepare your leeks, trim off the dark green tops and any rough outer leaves, slice in half lengthwise, and shred thinly. Reserve the trimming to add to the stock pot. The added vegetables will boost the flavour profile.
Cream & Butter – We need butter as it will help crips up the filo pastry and combines with flour to thicken the sauce. Cream adds a richness to the finished sauce, helping to keep us feeling satisfied as we tackle our training.
While they perform different functions here, cream and butter help fuel us for our runs. This might seem counterintuitive, as they’re both high in fat. However, they help absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K.
Mustard and Thyme – Add little in the way of macronutrients, but they help flavour our stock and sauce. If used correctly, you shouldn’t be able to taste the pungent mustard, but it will offer a deep, intense flavour to the finished sauce.
A Pastry Swap
If you haven’t noticed, I’ve opted for a lighter filo pastry for my chicken and leek pie. This removes the high levels of saturated fat found in the traditional puff pastry. This swap has allowed me to use cream in my sauce while keeping the calories down. Filo pastry helps fuel us with carbs while providing us with a delicious, golden brown and crispy topping we’ve come to love from our pies.
Making Chicken Stock
A stock is essentially any infused liquid, but what a puritan would call chicken stock involves a chicken carcass, roasted and simmered in water for an hour.
But don’t be put off by the idea of making our own stock. We’re not using an entire chicken carcass; we’re still using a stock cube. However, we’ll poach our chicken breasts before adding them to the pie. This eliminates the need for more fat. The poaching liquid will then become our stock, which we will use to make our creamy sauce.
Chicken and Leek Pie
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C or 180C Fan or 400F or Gas 6
- Fill a pan with water filled with the leek trimmings, a few thyme sprigs, and a chicken stock pot to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the chicken breasts, cover the pan and poach for 12-15 minutes until the juices run clear or a meat thermometer reaches 75 °c.
- Remove the chicken from the stock and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the stock and reserve the liquid.
- Heat a large pan over a medium heat and melt half of the butter.
- Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes until tender.
- Stir in the flour and cook for another minute
- Slowly stir in the reserved stock, stirring to prevent lumps. Once finished, add the cream and mustard. Simmer for a minute or two while preparing the chicken.
- Carefully dice the cooked chicken thighs into 2.5 cm chunks and add to the pan.
- Pour the chicken mixture into a pie dish
- Melt the remaining butter and lightly brush the sheets of filo pastry. Once buttered, gently crumple the sheets and top the pie.
- Place it in the centre of the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until crisp and golden.
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