Go Back Email Link
Mary Berry Chicken and Bacon Pie Recipe

Mary Berry Chicken and Bacon Pie Recipe

Mary Berry's chicken and bacon pie has a rich, smoky filling and a golden puff pastry lid — the ultimate British comfort pie.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 6 Portions
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Calories: 555
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Filling:
  • 700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs in chunks
  • 200 g smoked bacon lardons
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 50 g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 300 ml chicken stock
  • 150 ml double cream
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pastry Lid:
  • 375 g ready-made all-butter puff pastry
  • 1 large egg beaten

Method
 

  1. Start bacon in a cold pan over medium heat — cook 5 minutes until golden and fat has rendered. Remove — leave fat in pan.
  2. Brown chicken in batches in bacon fat — 3–4 minutes per batch. Remove.
  3. Add butter to pan. Cook onion 8 minutes. Add garlic and thyme — 1 minute. Add flour — stir 1 minute. Add stock gradually, stirring. Add cream and mustard. Simmer 5 minutes until thick.
  4. Add chicken, bacon, and parsley. Taste carefully. Cool completely.
  5. Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Spoon filling into pie dish. Add pastry strips to egg-washed rim. Lay lid over — press, trim, crimp. Brush with egg. Cut steam holes. Second coat of egg.
  6. Bake 28–32 minutes until golden and filling is bubbling. Rest 5 minutes.

Notes

Start bacon in a cold pan for maximum fat rendering.
Cool filling completely — warm filling prevents puff pastry from rising.
Press pastry strips onto the rim first — they keep the lid attached during baking.
Two coats of egg wash for deep golden colour.
Season carefully — smoked bacon adds significant salt.
Freeze assembled unbaked pie for up to 2 months.
QR Code linking back to recipe