Chicken and Leek Pies with Bacon

A chicken and leek pie cut open on a plate.

Chicken and Leek Pies with Bacon

These irresistible chicken and leek pies are classic family comfort food! Encased in flaky puff pastry and packed with a creamy chicken, leek and bacon filling; they make an easy and comforting dinner that everyone will love.

5 from 13 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: pies

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 55

Total Time: 1 5

Servings: pies

Calories: 600kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Equipment

Stove-top or Thermomix
Oven

Ingredients

6 sheets shortcrust pastry defrosted
3 sheets puff pastry defrosted
30 g butter
500 g chicken thigh fillets chopped into small 2cm pieces
2 leeks roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
150 g bacon streaky bacon - chopped
200 g cooking cream
2 tsp chicken stock powder
1 egg lightly whisked
sesame seeds

Instructions

Conventional Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
Place the pastry sheets onto the bench and allow to defrost.
Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes or until browned. Add the leeks, bacon and minced garlic and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until the leek has softened.
Add the cooking cream and vegetable stock and bring to a low simmer. Cook until sauce has slightly thickened.
TIP: If the sauce has not thickened enough, mix 1 tbs cornflour with ¼ cup water. Add slowly to the chicken mixture, stirring as you do, and cook until mixture has thickened to the right consistency.
Lightly grease a 12 hole muffin tray.
Use a small bowl or cutter (approximately 13cm in diameter) to cut 12 circles from the shortcrust pastry sheets (2 per sheet).
Use your fingers to press them into the muffin tray holes (each pastry round should be large enough to slightly overhang).
TIP: Cut a small triangle section out from each pastry circle as this helps when fitting them into the muffin holes.
Divide the mixture equally between the 12 muffin tray holes (being sure not to over-fill).
Cut 12 slightly smaller rounds (approximately 10cm in diameter) from the puff pastry sheets (4 per sheet).
Place them over the top of the meat pies and use your fingers to seal the overhanging shortcrust pastry to the puff pastry top.
Brush over the whisked egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

Thermomix Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
Place the pastry sheets onto the bench and allow to defrost.
Place the leeks, garlic and bacon into the Thermomix bowl. Chop for 3 seconds on Speed 5.
Add the butter and saute for 5 minutes, Varoma, Reverse, Speed Soft (Stir).
Add the chopped chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes, Varoma, Reverse, Speed Soft (Stir).
Add the cooking cream and chicken stock and cook for 20 minutes, 100 degrees, Reverse, Speed Soft (Stir).
TIP: If the sauce has not thickened enough, mix 1 tbs cornflour with ¼ cup water. Add to the Themomix bowl and mix for 20 seconds, Reverse, Speed Soft (Stir).
Lightly grease a 12 hole muffin tray.
Use a small bowl or cutter (approximately 13cm in diameter) to cut 12 circles from the shortcrust pastry sheets (2 per sheet).
Use your fingers to press them into the muffin tray holes (each pastry round should be large enough to slightly overhang).
TIP: Cut a small triangle section out from each pastry circle as this helps when fitting them into the muffin holes.
Divide the mixture equally between the 12 muffin tray holes (being sure not to over-fill).
Cut 12 slightly smaller rounds (approximately 10cm in diameter) from the puff pastry sheets (4 per sheet).
Place them over the top of the meat pies and use your fingers to seal the overhanging shortcrust pastry to the puff pastry top.
Brush over the whisked egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

Notes

RECIPE NOTED AND TIPS:

Ingredients:

Chicken thigh fillets – are the perfect cut of meat for this recipe, as thighs will stay juicy and tender after being simmered in the creamy sauce and baked in the oven. Chicken breasts are not recommended, as they tend to dry out.
Pastry – for the perfect crispiness : flakiness ratio, were are using shortcrust pastry on the bottom (crisp and firm) and puff pastry on the top (flaky and soft). You can use ready-made sheets of pastry from the freezer section in your supermarket, or make your own if you prefer.
Leeks - wash well before cooking, or the sauce will end up with grit.
Cooking cream – is a light cream that has been specifically developed to withstand high temperatures without splitting or curdling. It also thickens, making it perfect for creamy pie fillings. Find cooking cream at your local supermarket. If using regular cream, make sure you don’t over-boil it. I used Bulla cooking cream in this recipe, as it doesn't curdle when cooked.

Other tips:

Add the cream near the end of cooking the filling. This will minimise the risk of the sauce splitting.
Make sure the pastry has thawed completely before attempting to shape it into the tins, or it will crack. Just leave it out on the bench to thaw while you prepare the filling.
Cut a small 'V' in the shortrust pastry circles to help them fit into the muffin trays easier.
The chicken mixture can be made the day before and kept, covered, in the fridge.
Check the consistency of the filling and adjust, if necessary.
If you need to thin the sauce, just add a little extra stock or cream.
Alternatively, to thicken the sauce, stir 1-2 teaspoons of cornflour into a little water and add it to the sauce while stirring, and continue to stir until thickened.
The filling should be thick enough that it won't run out of the pies when cut/bitten.
Freezing - these pies can be frozen at different stages. The filling can be prepared and then wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months. Alternatively, assemble the pies, glaze and chill before freezing for up to 3 months.
Reheating - these pies store and reheat beautifully, making them such an easy grab-and-go dinner, lunch or snack. To reheat, place them in an oven at 180C for around 10-12 minutes, or until crisp and completely heated through. They can also be reheated in an air fryer.

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