Creamy chicken, gammon and leek pie...what's not to like?! This pie is inspired by a Hairy Bikers recipe I found on the BBC website. I had some gammon left from a small unsmoked joint so decided I could use that instead of ham, and rather than make the pastry that encases the whole pie, I decided to use a ready-rolled puff pastry sheet just to top the pie. This reduces the calories quite a bit and using Elmlea cream for the sauce helps too! This recipe is a winner and will definitely be made again and again....the sauce is delicious and the chicken and gammon are lovely and tender - comfort food at its best.
Depending on how hungry the people you're feeding are, this pie will feed 4 to 6. It's perfect for family dinners!
Tips
- Make it vegetarian - replace the chicken and gammon with mushrooms and potatoes to make it vegetarian, along with vegetable stock.
- Add herbs and spices - add herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley to enhance the flavour. For an extra kick, add a sprinkle of mustard powder or a dash of white wine to the sauce.
- You could easily use skinless boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts if you prefer, or a mixture of both.
- The chicken quantity is quite a bit more than the gammon, so you could reduce the chicken to two breasts and increase the gammon to 250g.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes - you can prepare the filling and assemble the pie in advance. Store it in the fridge, covered, for up to 24 hours. When you're ready to bake, pop it in the oven and add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the fridge.
Absolutely - leftover roast chicken and ham will work wonderfully in this pie. Since they’re already cooked, add them to the leek mixture just before assembling the pie, to avoid overcooking the meat.
Yes - this pie freezes well. Once assembled, wrap it tightly in cling film and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, bake directly from frozen at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 45 to 50 minutes, or until fully heated through.
Puff pastry gives the pie a light and flaky top, while shortcrust pastry creates a sturdier, buttery crust. Either works well, so it’s down to personal preference.
Yes - use a gluten-free pastry and thicken the sauce with a gluten-free flour or cornflour instead of regular flour. Make sure to check that all your ingredients are gluten-free, especially the stock.
Definitely - you can add peas, carrots, or even mushrooms to the pie filling. Just make sure to cook the vegetables slightly before adding them to the mixture so they’re tender when the pie is baked.
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How to make this Creamy Chicken, Gammon and Leek Pie
Ingredients
- 450ml chicken stock
- 3 chicken breasts (see Tips)
- 75g butter
- 2 leeks, trimmed and cut into 1cm slices
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 55g plain flour
- 200ml milk (I use semi-skimmed)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 150ml double cream (I used Elmlea to reduce the calories!)
- 150g cooked unsmoked gammon, cut into 2cm chunks (see Tips)
- 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
- 325g ready-rolled puff pastry
Instructions
Make the filling:
- Heat the chicken stock in a lidded saucepan. Add the chicken breasts and bring to a low simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the stock and set aside on a plate to cool. Pour the stock into a jug for using in the creamy leek sauce.
- Melt 25g of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the leeks and fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the remaining butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each adding. Gradually add 250ml of the reserved stock, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes. The remaining stock can be discarded or used if needed in another recipe.
- Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Check the seasoning again and add, to taste. Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool.
Assemble and bake:
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put a baking tray in the oven to heat.
- When you’re ready to bake the pie, cut the cooled chicken breasts into 3cm pieces. Stir the chicken and gammon into the cooled sauce. Pour the chicken filling into a pie dish (mine is 26cm diameter). Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg, then remove the puff pastry from its packaging and unroll it.
- Cover the pie with the unrolled pastry and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim any excess pastry. I decorate the top of the pie using the excess pastry!
- Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg. Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown all over and the filling is piping hot.
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Creamy Chicken, Gammon and Leek Pie
Ingredients
- 450 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
- 3 chicken breasts (see Notes)
- 75 g (⅓ cup) butter
- 2 leeks trimmed and cut into 1cm slices
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 55 g (2 oz) plain flour
- 200 ml (⅞ cup) milk (I use semi-skimmed)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) double cream (I used Elmlea to reduce the calories!)
- 150 g (¾ cup) cooked unsmoked gammon cut into 2cm chunks (see Notes)
- 1 egg beaten, to glaze
- 325 g (12 oz) ready-rolled puff pastry
Instructions
Make the filling:
- Heat the chicken stock in a lidded saucepan. Add the chicken breasts and bring to a low simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the stock and set aside on a plate to cool. Pour the stock into a jug for using in the creamy leek sauce.
- Melt 25g of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the leeks and fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the remaining butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each adding. Gradually add 250ml of the reserved stock, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes. The remaining stock can be discarded or used if needed in another recipe.
- Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Check the seasoning again and add, to taste. Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool.
Assemble and bake:
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put a baking tray in the oven to heat.
- When you’re ready to bake the pie, cut the cooled chicken breasts into 3cm pieces. Stir the chicken and gammon into the cooled sauce. Pour the chicken filling into a pie dish (mine is 26cm diameter). Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg, then remove the puff pastry from its packaging and unroll it.
- Cover the pie with the unrolled pastry and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim any excess pastry. I decorate the top of the pie using the excess pastry!
- Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg. Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown all over and the filling is piping hot.
Notes
- Make it vegetarian - replace the chicken and gammon with mushrooms and potatoes to make it vegetarian, along with vegetable stock.
- Add herbs and spices - add herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley to enhance the flavour. For an extra kick, add a sprinkle of mustard powder or a dash of white wine to the sauce.
- You could easily use skinless boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts, if you prefer, or a mixture of both.
- The chicken quantity is quite a bit more than the gammon, so you could reduce the chicken to two breasts and increase the gammon to 250g.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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