Name: Chicken pie with bacon, leeks & mushrooms recipe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 Store-bought rotisserie chicken – all meat pulled off the carcass and roughly chopped; 50 grams salted butter (just shy of 1/2 a stick); 2 cups of sliced leeks (approx. 3 – 4 – white and pale green part); 1 bay leaf; 100 grams lean diced bacon; 250 grams Portobello or button mushrooms (sliced); Leaves stripped from 3 – 4 thyme stalks; 3 Tbsp flour; 125 ml ½ cup dry white wine; 250 ml 1 cup good quality chicken stock (concentrated); 250 ml 1 cup cream; 1 ½ Tbs of finely chopped parsley; Salt & pepper; 1 x 250gm sheet of butter puff pastry plus extra to make decorations (optional)

Chicken pie is a classic South African heritage recipe and with this rendition, I have added lean diced Bacon because as they say, ‘bacon makes everything better’. I cook the leeks, bacon, and mushrooms until meltingly tender in butter, white wine, and stock. A bay leaf and thyme add a herbaceous note before the cream gets poured into this delicious mix. This is now my best ever and go-to chicken pie recipe with bacon, leeks, and mushrooms.

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Chicken pie with bacon, leeks & mushrooms recipe

You could poach a chicken in celery, carrots onion, and bouquet garni to make your own stock, but I love to buy my favourite store-bought rotisserie chicken to make it easier. Shred all the meat off the carcass and add it to the pie at the end.

Ingredients to Make This Chicken Pie with Bacon, Leeks, and Mushrooms

This hearty and delicious chicken pie is easy to make despite the long ingredient list.

1 store-bought rotisserie chicken
50g butter (just under half a stick)
2 cups sliced leeks (approximately 3-4, using the white and pale green parts)
1 bay leaf
100g diced bacon
250g Portobello or button mushrooms, sliced
Leaves from 3-4 thyme stalks
3 tablespoons flour
125ml (½ cup) dry white wine
250ml (1 cup) good-quality concentrated chicken stock
250ml (1 cup) cream
1½ tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 x 250g sheet of butter puff pastry (plus extra for optional decorations)

How to make a chicken pie with bacon, leeks & mushrooms:

Step 1: Prep the Chicken

Start by shredding all the meat from the rotisserie chicken, removing any bones and gristle. You can include some crispy skin pieces for extra flavour if you like. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

Step 2: Sauté the Leeks, Bacon, and Mushrooms

In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced leeks and bay leaf, sautéing for about 3 minutes until the leeks begin to soften. Stir in the diced bacon and cook for another 2 minutes before adding the mushrooms and thyme. Continue cooking until the mushrooms soften and release their moisture.

Step 3: Make the Sauce

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable and bacon mixture, stirring well to combine. Let it cook for about 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens. Add the white wine and allow it to bubble, cooking off the liquid while stirring constantly. Next, pour in the chicken stock and cook on low heat for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook for an additional minute or two. Finish by adding the parsley, salt, and pepper to taste (the bacon will contribute saltiness, so adjust as needed).

Step 4: Assemble the Pie

Fold the shredded chicken into the sauce mixture, ensuring everything is well coated. Remove from heat and pour the mixture into a pie dish. Gently place the sheet of puff pastry over the top, trimming any excess and adding decorative pastry shapes if desired. There’s no need to brush the pastry with an egg wash as it’s already buttery.

Step 5: Bake to Perfection

Place the pie in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and crispy. Serve hot with a salad on the side.

*Cooks note – ensure you clean the leeks thoroughly before slicing and only use the white and light green part of the stem. Discard the thicker and inedible dark green part. It is not necessary to brush the all-butter puff pastry with egg wash. I find it leaves dark streaks if you do.

Recipe – makes 1 chicken pie – serves 4-6

Prep Time:25

Cook Time:40

Ingredients

1 Store-bought rotisserie chicken – all meat pulled off the carcass and roughly chopped
50 grams salted butter just shy of 1/2 a stick
2 cups of sliced leeks approx. 3 – 4 – white and pale green part
1 bay leaf
100 grams lean diced bacon
250 grams Portobello or button mushrooms sliced
Leaves stripped from 3 – 4 thyme stalks
3 Tbsp flour
125 ml ½ cup dry white wine
250 ml 1 cup good quality chicken stock concentrated
250 ml 1 cup cream
1 ½ Tbs of finely chopped parsley
Salt & pepper
1 x 250gm sheet of butter puff pastry plus extra to make decorations optional

Instructions

Shred all the meat off the chicken carcass removing all bones and gristle. You can include some of the crispy parts of the skin if you prefer. Preheat the oven to 180C /350F.
Heat a frying pan to medium and melt the butter. Add the leeks and bay leaf and sauté for about 3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the bacon and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until softened.
Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a minute. Or 2 and the mixture thickens. Add the wine and allow this to bubble until the liquid has cooked over stirring constantly. Then add the stock and cook over a gentle heat for another 2 – 3 minutes. Add the cream and cook for a minute or two. Add the parsley and check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Depending on how strong the stock is you may not need to add much salt as the bacon adds salt too.
Fold the shredded chicken through the mix and stir to thoroughly coat then remove from the heat. Decant the mixture into an appropriately sized pie dish and place the sheet of puff pastry over the pie. Add decorations as you like. It is not necessary to brush the all-butter puff pastry with an egg wash.
Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Notes

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Once your chicken pie has cooled completely, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, follow these simple steps:

Reheat in the Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Cover the pie loosely with foil to prevent the pastry from burning. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
Reheat in the Microwave: Place a portion of the pie on a microwave-safe plate. Heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through, though the pastry might lose its crispness.

For best results, reheating in the oven helps maintain the flaky texture of the puff pastry.

Servings: 1 pie – serves 4 -6

Author: Sam Linsell

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