Nigella Chicken And Leek Pie Recipe

This creamy chicken and leek pie is a cozy dish made with soft cheese, mustard, and a golden puff pastry top. It’s quick to prep, full of flavor, and perfect for a simple weeknight dinner.

Ingredients Needed:

• dash olive oil
• 3 chicken breasts, roughly chopped
• 1 leek, washed and sliced into rounds
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
• 250g/9oz cream cheese or crème fraîche
• 1–2 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry (320g/11½ oz)
• milk, to brush the top
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

How To Make Chicken And Leek Pie Recipe?

1. Preheat the oven: set it to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
2. Cook the chicken: heat a dash of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the chopped chicken and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes until just browned.
3. Make the filling: add the sliced leek, garlic, cream cheese, mustard, and the crumbled stock cube. Pour in 200ml boiling water. Stir everything until smooth and creamy.
4. Transfer to dish: pour the mixture into a large ovenproof dish and spread it out evenly.
5. Add the pastry top: place the puff pastry sheet on top, gently pressing the edges to seal. Brush the top with milk.
6. Bake the pie: place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling.

Recipe Tips:

• Don’t overcook the chicken: just cook it until it turns white on the outside. It will finish cooking in the oven, so it stays soft and juicy inside the pie.
• Slice the leeks thin: thin rounds cook faster and blend better into the creamy sauce without staying too crunchy.
• Use boiling water for the stock cube: this helps it melt quickly and mix smoothly into the sauce with no lumps.
• Seal the pastry edges well: press the puff pastry around the dish gently with your fingers so the filling doesn’t leak out while baking.
• Cut small air holes in the pastry: poke 2–3 tiny holes in the top with a knife or fork to let steam out, so the pastry stays crisp and doesn’t get soggy.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: first, let the leftover chicken and leek pie cool until it reaches room temperature. Then, cover it well or place it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: let the pie cool completely, then wrap it tightly or place it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheat: set the air fryer to 160°C. Place a slice of pie inside and heat for about 8–10 minutes until warmed through and the top is golden.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 560 kcal
• Total Fat: 32g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Cholesterol: 110mg
• Sodium: 720mg
• Potassium: 550mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 25g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 4g
• Protein: 40g

Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:

• Nigella Courgette And Lime Cake Recipe
• Nigella Chicken Chasseur Recipe

Nigella Chicken And Leek Pie Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

560

kcal

This creamy chicken and leek pie is a cozy dish made with soft cheese, mustard, and a golden puff pastry top. It’s quick to prep, full of flavor, and perfect for a simple weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

• dash olive oil

• 3 chicken breasts, roughly chopped

• 1 leek, washed and sliced into rounds

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed

• 250g/9oz cream cheese or crème fraîche

• 1–2 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry (320g/11½ oz)

• milk, to brush the top

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven: set it to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
• Cook the chicken: heat a dash of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the chopped chicken and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes until just browned.
• Make the filling: add the sliced leek, garlic, cream cheese, mustard, and the crumbled stock cube. Pour in 200ml boiling water. Stir everything until smooth and creamy.
• Transfer to dish: pour the mixture into a large ovenproof dish and spread it out evenly.
• Add the pastry top: place the puff pastry sheet on top, gently pressing the edges to seal. Brush the top with milk.
• Bake the pie: place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling.

Notes

• Don’t overcook the chicken: just cook it until it turns white on the outside. It will finish cooking in the oven, so it stays soft and juicy inside the pie.
• Slice the leeks thin: thin rounds cook faster and blend better into the creamy sauce without staying too crunchy.
• Use boiling water for the stock cube: this helps it melt quickly and mix smoothly into the sauce with no lumps.
• Seal the pastry edges well: press the puff pastry around the dish gently with your fingers so the filling doesn’t leak out while baking.
• Cut small air holes in the pastry: poke 2–3 tiny holes in the top with a knife or fork to let steam out, so the pastry stays crisp and doesn’t get soggy.