Dr Mobeus
Budget Chicken and Leek Pie
A chicken pie is proper comfort food, but the ones from the supermarket chiller aisle can cost 4 or 5 pounds for something that barely feeds two people. Making your own at home costs a fraction of that and tastes infinitely better.
The trick is using chicken thighs instead of breasts. A pack of four skinless boneless chicken thighs costs around 1.80 pounds from Tesco, compared to over 3 pounds for the equivalent in breasts. The meat stays juicier in a pie filling too. Combined with leeks, which are cheap and plentiful in UK supermarkets, you get a proper pie that tastes like it cost twice as much.
Ready-rolled puff pastry from the supermarket basics range costs about 1 pound for a sheet, and it does all the hard work for you. The whole pie comes in at 87p per portion and will comfortably feed a family of four. It also makes great leftovers eaten cold the next day.
Budget Chicken and Leek Pie
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper and dried thyme.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Add the leeks and onion to the same pan and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir well for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Crumble in the stock cube and add the water. Stir until the sauce is smooth and thickening.
- Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce coats the chicken. Transfer to a pie dish.
- Unroll the puff pastry and drape it over the pie dish. Trim the edges and crimp with a fork. Cut a small slit in the centre for steam to escape.
- Brush the pastry with beaten egg and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and puffed up.
- Serve hot with mashed potato and green vegetables.
Tips and Variations
If you do not have leeks, use a large onion and a handful of frozen peas instead. Puff pastry works best when it is cold, so keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Any leftover pastry can be cut into shapes and baked alongside the pie for crispy scraps. This pie can be assembled ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.
