This cozy poached chicken pie is full of flavor and perfect for a comforting dinner. It’s made with tender chicken, soft carrots, and a rich sauce, then topped with thinly sliced potatoes. Simple ingredients, easy steps, and a golden finish on top make this dish a family favorite.

Ingredients Needed:

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
500 g (1.1 lbs) lamb
2 brown onions
1 heaped tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
480 ml (2 cups) hot chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
680 g (1.5 lbs) potatoes
1 tbsp melted butter for brushing
¼ tsp dried thyme

How To Make Lancashire Hotpot Recipe?

Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 170C.
Brown the lamb: Melt the butter and oil in a large pan, then add the lamb. Cook for 3–4 minutes until lightly browned. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
Cook the onions: Add the sliced onions to the same pan. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until soft.
Make the sauce: Return the lamb to the pan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the hot stock, add bay leaves, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and bring to a gentle bubble.
Bake the filling: Cover the pan with a lid and place it in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
Add the vegetables: Remove the pan from the oven. Stir in the carrots. Transfer the mixture to a pie dish if needed.
Add the potatoes: Layer the sliced potatoes on top, starting from the edge and moving to the center.
Butter and season the top: Brush with melted butter and sprinkle the dried thyme. Cover with foil or a lid.
Bake again: Place back in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
Crisp the top: Remove the lid and increase the oven temperature to 200C. Bake for another 30 minutes until the top is golden and crisp.
Let it rest: Take the pie out of the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips:

Use the right cut of lamb: lamb neck or shoulder works best because it becomes soft and tender after slow cooking. Don’t use very lean meat or it may turn dry.
Brown the lamb well: make sure to brown the lamb properly before removing it from the pan. This step adds deep flavor to the whole dish.
Slice potatoes thin and even: keep potato slices around 2–3mm thick so they cook evenly and become crispy on top. Thick slices might stay hard in the middle.
Season the layers: don’t forget to lightly season the meat and stock before baking. If it tastes bland before the oven, it’ll stay bland after.
Rest before serving: let the pie sit for 5–10 minutes after baking. This helps the sauce settle and makes it easier to serve without falling apart.

How To Store Leftovers?

Refrigerate: Let the leftover poached chicken pie cool to room temperature first. Once cooled, cover it or place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Let the pie cool completely, then wrap it well or place it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 480 kcal
Total Fat: 24g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Cholesterol: 95mg
Sodium: 710mg
Potassium: 920mg
Total Carbohydrate: 35g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 28g

Try More James Martin Recipes:

James Martin Chocolate Fondant Recipe
James Martin Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

James Martin Lancashire Hotpot Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

Calories

480

kcal

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
500 g (1.1 lbs) lamb
2 brown onions
1 heaped tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
480 ml (2 cups) hot chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
680 g (1.5 lbs) potatoes
1 tbsp melted butter for brushing
¼ tsp dried thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 170C.
Brown the lamb: Melt the butter and oil in a large pan, then add the lamb. Cook for 3–4 minutes until lightly browned. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
Cook the onions: Add the sliced onions to the same pan. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until soft.
Make the sauce: Return the lamb to the pan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the hot stock, add bay leaves, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and bring to a gentle bubble.
Bake the filling: Cover the pan with a lid and place it in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
Add the vegetables: Remove the pan from the oven. Stir in the carrots. Transfer the mixture to a pie dish if needed.
Add the potatoes: Layer the sliced potatoes on top, starting from the edge and moving to the center.
Butter and season the top: Brush with melted butter and sprinkle the dried thyme. Cover with foil or a lid.
Bake again: Place back in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
Crisp the top: Remove the lid and increase the oven temperature to 200C. Bake for another 30 minutes until the top is golden and crisp.
Let it rest: Take the pie out of the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use the right cut of lamb: lamb neck or shoulder works best because it becomes soft and tender after slow cooking. Don’t use very lean meat or it may turn dry.
Brown the lamb well: make sure to brown the lamb properly before removing it from the pan. This step adds deep flavor to the whole dish.
Slice potatoes thin and even: keep potato slices around 2–3mm thick so they cook evenly and become crispy on top. Thick slices might stay hard in the middle.
Season the layers: don’t forget to lightly season the meat and stock before baking. If it tastes bland before the oven, it’ll stay bland after.
Rest before serving: let the pie sit for 5–10 minutes after baking. This helps the sauce settle and makes it easier to serve without falling apart.