Chicken and leek pot pie
If you love cozy comfort food with a touch of French flair, this is the one. This Creamy Chicken and Leek Pot Pie features a combination of creamy leeks, tender chicken, a creamy Dijon-spiked sauce and flaky puff pastry: pure heaven in a dish! The recipe is simple, practical, and can easily be made ahead — perfect for family dinners, Sunday suppers, or using up leftover roast chicken. The pie that won my husband’s heart Savory pot pies—or tourtes, as we call them in France—are the ultimate comfort food, not just…
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- chicken meat (21 ounces), cooked, shredded or chopped
- 200g bacon (4 strips/7 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 2 leeks (whites only), cleaned and sliced thinly in half-rounds
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock, ideally low-sodium
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cup (375ml) milk (whole or 2 %)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 (13-oz [370-g]) packet ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg
Instructions
- 1
Cook the bacon. In a large pan over medium heat, cook the bacon (or lardons) until crisp, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Sauté the aromatics. Add the garlic, celery, and leek. Cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant (but not browned).
- 3
Build the base. Add the butter and let it melt. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat the vegetables—there should be no visible white flour left. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, then stir in the milk, cream, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly.
- 4
Add the flavor. Stir in the Dijon mustard, shredded chicken, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until everything is well combined. The filling should be creamy and chunky. If it’s too thin, simmer a bit longer; if too thick, loosen with a splash of cream. Remove the bay leaf.
- 5
Prepare the filling. Transfer the mixture to the bottom of a deep pie dish and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes—this helps the pastry stay crisp when baking.
- 6
Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and position a rack in the middle.
- 7
Top with pastry. Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into a circle the same size as your pie dish, using the dish (or a plate) as a guide. Cut a small hole in the center—this allows steam to escape during baking. Optional: For a thicker, more defined crust edge, cut a long strip of "leftover" pastry and press it along the inner rim of the dish before adding the top. Lay the pastry circle over the pie and gently press the edges to seal. Brush the surface with the beaten egg yolk.
- 8
Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deeply golden.
- 9
Rest and serve. Let the pie sit for about 10 minutes before serving—this gives the filling time to set.