Easy Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Pie Recipe

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Pies are the ultimate comfort food and this chicken and vegetable pie is no different. I am a huge fan of the classic pie, with a shortcrust pastry bottom and top and a delicious creamy filling in the middle.

Now, you can make this quicker by using puff pastry on the top and not adding a bottom, effectively making a chicken pot pie, however, if you are going for the ultimate comfort food, I would recommend taking the time to make the pastry.

For this recipe, I created 4 individual pies using these pie dishes, however, this recipe works just as well in one large pie as in a normal pie dish, it is down to personal preference. If you are wondering what size these pies come out, they are about the size of a Pukka Pie for those familiar with the brand.

How to make homemade chicken and vegetable pie

Ingredients

• 50g Unsalted butter
• 300g Diced chicken breast (Approx 2 chicken breast)
• 1 Leek, finely sliced
• 2 Carrots, finely chopped
• 100g Frozen peas
• 100g Mushrooms, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 100ml White wine
• 300ml Chicken stock
• 2tbs Plain flour
• 100ml Creme fraiche
• 1tbs Dijon mustard

Pastry ingredients

• 150g cold butter
• 400g self-raising flour
• 1 egg, beaten

The key to getting the best pie is allowing the filling to cool before adding it to the pie, this is what I do in this recipe so you don’t have to blind-bake the pie. If you would rather do it all at the same time, just make sure you blind-bake for 15 minutes before adding the filling.

Instructions

• In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat and add in the leek, chicken and carrots for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add in the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.
• Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes until cooked through.
• Add in the wine and allow to come to the boil.
• Stir in the stock, crème fraîche, mustard and peas. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
• Season to taste and then remove to completely cool, this can be done overnight.

Now to make the pastry.

• Rub together the flour and butter, with a pinch of salt until completely combined.
• Add half the beaten egg and a couple of tablespoons of cold water, to start bringing the pastry together. You may need a few more tablespoons of water to bring it together in the end. Knead for a couple of minutes until it comes together then wrap in cling film and chill for an hour.

Time to assemble the pies

• Preheat the oven to gas mark 7.
• Roll out two-thirds of the pastry to line the tins, with a little overhang. If you are using the smaller tins, divide the pastry base into 4. You want to roll out the pastry thin enough that it covers but not too thin that it doesn’t hold its shape.
• Divide the pie filling between the 4 pies.
• Use the remaining pastry to create a lid. Brush the edge of the pastry with the remaining beaten egg before placing the lid on. Trim up the edge and crimp with a fork to seal.
• Place the pies on a baking sheet, brush with the remaining egg wash and pop a little hole in the top to allow to steam.
• Cook in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Serve with vegetables such as green beans or broccoli and roast potatoes.

If you would like a printable recipe card for this, you can find it below.

These pies are best eaten on the day, however, if you freeze them on a piece of parchment paper, you can then pop them in a freezer bag and keep them for a later date. Just make sure they are reheated all the way through before you start to tuck in!

Whether you are cooking for the whole family or just for yourself, this recipe works just as well for both options. It may take longer than your usual dinner but trust me, the effort is worth it.

What is the difference between a pie and a pot pie?

You may be wondering what is the difference between a chicken pie and a chicken pot pie.

Now the filling usually remains the same, however, a pie is made usually using shortcrust pastry with a base and a top. Whereas a pot pie is made from a puff pastry lid on top of the pie but usually no bottom.

Tips for making the best pastry

Pastry making is a bit of a love/hate topic in this house as sometimes I can make the best pastry and other times, it can be a complete nightmare!

I know that the temperature can have a big impact but sometimes, no matter what I try, it can fail. If this sounds familiar, here are my top tips for making the best pastry.

• Add your water slowly, too quick can change the consistency too quickly.
• Don’t knead! Overworking it, especially with warm hands, can make it very difficult to roll out. Think of it as more of a bringing the pastry together than a knead.
• Use kitchen appliances to your advantage – I always start my pastry off in my stand mixer but some people prefer a food processor, either way, it does the hard work for the first part of blending the flour and butter together.

What vegetables can go in a pie?

Pretty much any veggies can go in a pie and throwing in extra veggies works great for me.

Although this creamy chicken pie features carrots, leeks, mushrooms and peas, it doesn’t mean you need to use these, why not try swapping them out for your favourite veggies?

If you don’t have any fresh vegetables, you could use frozen mixed vegetables instead, just pop them in a little later as they are already cooked.

Can you use leftover chicken in a chicken pie recipe?

Absolutely! Just make sure you adjust the recipe to reflect this, for example, it doesn’t need 10 minutes to cook though as it is already cooked, so just add it in slightly later to cook through.

Whether you have leftover rotisserie chicken or even leftover roast chicken from the night before, it will all work in this pie just as well. Leftover turkey from Christmas is a great filling for your pie also/

You could also adjust this recipe and use chicken thighs if that is what you prefer or have in.

Pies are a comfort food classic and this is because they can be adapted to suit your taste preference and time. Short on time? Make yourself a homemade chicken pot pie rather than worrying about pastry. Fancy something a little different, adapt the creamy sauce to add in some curry flavours and make a chicken curry pie. Don’t fancy making roast potatoes? Don’t worry about it, the pie itself could be a complete meal from the pastry to the filling and all the veggies!