Anna Louise Chicken and leek pie is one of the most elegantly simple British pies — the gentle sweetness of leeks against tender chicken in a rich cream sauce, all wrapped in a golden, flaky puff pastry lid.
It is quieter than a chicken and mushroom pie, more refined than a chicken and bacon one — the leek gives the filling a sweetness and a softness that makes every mouthful feel genuinely comforting.
Mary Berry’s chicken and leek pie recipe builds a proper velouté sauce enriched with a little cream and Dijon mustard, combines it with tender chicken and properly softened leeks, and tops everything with an all-butter puff pastry lid that bakes to a dramatic, shatteringly crisp golden finish.
This is the pie I make in early spring when leeks are at their most tender and sweet and the weather still calls for something warming and substantial. It is also the pie I make when I want a dinner that looks genuinely impressive and tastes even better.
The Leek Is Everything in This Pie
The leek is not just a supporting character in this pie — it is the defining ingredient. Its gentle, slightly sweet flavour threads through the cream sauce and complements the chicken without competing with it.
For this reason, the leeks must be cooked properly. Not briefly sautéed until slightly softened — fully cooked until completely tender, almost melting, and deeply sweet.
This takes ten to twelve minutes. Under-cooked leeks taste slightly harsh and raw. Properly cooked leeks taste silky, gentle, and completely wonderful in the cream sauce.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Pie
For the Filling
- 700g boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into generous chunks
- 4 large leeks, washed and sliced into 2cm rounds
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 300ml good quality chicken stock
- 200ml double cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Pastry Lid
- 375g ready-made all-butter puff pastry
- 1 large egg, beaten
How to Make Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Pie — Step by Step
Step 1 — Cook the Chicken
Season the chicken generously. Melt half the butter in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in two batches — three to four minutes per batch until golden on the outside. Remove and set aside.
Step 2 — Cook the Leeks and Onion
In the same pan, melt the remaining butter over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for five minutes until softened. Add the sliced leeks and cook over a medium-low heat for ten to twelve minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are completely soft, slightly collapsed, and just beginning to colour at the edges. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for one more minute.
Step 3 — Make the Sauce
Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and onion. Stir for one to two minutes to cook the flour through. Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring continuously, then add the double cream and Dijon mustard. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for five minutes until the sauce has thickened to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon generously. Season very well with salt and pepper.
Step 4 — Combine and Cool
Add the browned chicken pieces and parsley to the leek and cream sauce. Stir gently to combine. Leave to cool completely — at least 30 minutes. Hot filling prevents the puff pastry from rising properly.
Step 5 — Assemble the Pie
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Spoon the cooled filling into a deep pie dish — approximately 24cm round or 28x20cm oval.
Roll the pastry to slightly larger than the pie dish. Cut thin strips from the trimmings. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Press pastry strips onto the rim. Brush with egg. Lay the pastry lid over the top. Press and seal firmly. Trim excess. Crimp edges. Brush the entire lid generously with beaten egg.
Cut two or three steam holes in the centre. Brush with a second coat of egg wash.
Step 6 — Bake
Bake for 28 to 32 minutes until the pastry is dramatically risen, deep golden, and the filling is bubbling through the steam holes.
Rest five minutes before serving.
My Top Tips For Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Pie
Cook the leeks until completely tender. Ten to twelve minutes of gentle cooking — the leeks should be completely soft and slightly collapsed. Under-cooked leeks taste raw and harsh in the finished pie.
Cool the filling before adding the pastry. The most important practical step. Hot filling melts the butter in puff pastry and prevents it from rising. Cool for at least 30 minutes — overnight in the fridge is even better and makes the whole pie assembly significantly easier.
Use pastry strips on the rim. Pressing pastry strips onto the egg-washed rim gives the lid something to grip and prevents it from shrinking away during baking. This is the professional technique for a well-sealed pie.
Cut steam holes. Two or three holes in the centre allow steam to escape and prevent the lid from puffing unevenly or lifting completely away from the filling.
Two coats of egg wash. One before shaping and one after gives the deepest, most uniform golden colour.
Season the filling assertively. The cream sauce needs confident seasoning — it tastes less seasoned once the pastry is on top. Season until it tastes slightly bolder than you want the finished pie to be.
Serving Suggestions
With creamy mashed potato — the sauce from the pie soaks into the mash magnificently. With steamed green beans or peas alongside. As a Sunday lunch centrepiece. With crusty bread for those who want to mop every last drop of the cream sauce.
How to Store Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Pie
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C oven covered loosely with foil for 20 to 25 minutes until piping hot.
In the freezer: Freeze the assembled unbaked pie for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly. Bake from frozen at 200°C for 45 to 50 minutes, covering with foil if the pastry browns too quickly.
Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Season and brown chicken in batches in butter — 3–4 minutes per batch. Set aside.
- Cook onion in same pan 5 minutes. Add leeks — cook 10–12 minutes over medium-low heat until completely soft. Add garlic and thyme — 1 minute.
- Sprinkle over flour — stir 1–2 minutes. Add stock gradually, stirring. Add cream and mustard. Simmer 5 minutes until thickened. Season very generously.
- Add chicken and parsley. Stir. Cool completely — 30 minutes minimum.
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Spoon filling into pie dish. Add pastry strip to egg-washed rim. Lay pastry lid over. Press, seal, trim, crimp. Brush with egg wash. Cut 2–3 steam holes. Brush with second coat of egg wash.
- Bake 28–32 minutes until deep golden and filling is bubbling. Rest 5 minutes. Serve.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes — breast works well in this pie because the gentle cream sauce keeps it moist. Brown briefly and add raw to the sauce rather than cooking fully through during browning.
Can I add bacon to this pie?
Yes — 150g of smoked bacon lardons cooked until golden and added with the chicken gives a wonderful smoky note that works beautifully with the leeks.
Can I make the filling the day before?
Yes — and it makes assembly significantly easier. Make the filling, cool completely, refrigerate overnight, and add the pastry lid cold from the fridge directly before baking. Add ten minutes to the baking time if cooking from cold.
Why is my pastry lid not rising?
The filling was too hot when the pastry went on, or the pastry was rolled too thin. Cool the filling completely and roll the pastry to 3mm.
Can I add cream cheese to the sauce?
Yes — two tablespoons of full-fat cream cheese stirred into the sauce with the double cream adds extra richness and silkiness. It is the same technique used in the chicken pasta bake and works equally well here.
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