Chicken and ham pie recipe
Hairy Bikers' creamy chicken, ham and leek pie Unleash this crowning glory upon your guests – a delicious chicken and ham pie, resplendent with leeks and a creamy sauce, and bubbling with homemade goodness. For this recipe you will need a 23cm/9in round pie dish. Based on four sharing, each serving provides 1353 kcal, 57g protein, 84g carbohydrates (of which 6g sugars), 86g fat (of which 52g saturates), 7g fibre and 2.8g salt. 450ml/16fl oz chicken stock3 chicken breasts, skin removed75g/2¾oz butter2 leeks, trimmed and cut into 1cm/½in slices2 garlic cloves, crushed55g/2oz plain flour200ml/7fl oz milk2–3 tbsp white wine (optional)150ml/5fl oz double cream150g/5½oz piece thickly carved ham, cut into 2cm/¾in chunkssea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 450ml/16fl oz chicken stock 3 chicken breasts, skin removed 75g/2¾oz butter 2 leeks, trimmed and cut into 1cm/½in slices 2 garlic cloves, crushed 55g/2oz plain flour 200ml/7fl oz milk 2–3 tbsp white wine (optional) 150ml/5fl oz double cream 150g/5½oz piece thickly carved ham, cut into 2cm/¾in chunks sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 350g/12oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting200g/7oz butter1 free-range egg, beaten with 1 tbsp cold water, plus 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze 350g/12oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting 200g/7oz butter 1 free-range egg, beaten with 1 tbsp cold water, plus 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze Method Heat the chicken stock in a large lidded saucepan. Add the chicken breasts and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the water with tongs and place on a plate. Pour the cooking liquor into a large jug. Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the leeks and fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the remaining 50g/1¾oz butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each addition. Gradually add 250ml/10fl oz of the reserved stock and the wine, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool.For the pastry, put the flour and butter in a food processor and blend on the pulse setting until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (alternatively rub it in by hand). With the motor running, add the beaten egg and water and blend briefly until the mixture forms a ball (take care not to overprocess the pastry as you can make it tough). Portion off 250g/9oz pastry for the lid. Roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface, turning the pastry frequently until around 5mm/¼in thick and 4cm/1½in larger than the pie dish. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and place it gently into the pie dish. Press the pastry firmly up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Leave the excess pastry overhanging the sides.Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put a baking tray in the oven to preheat. Cut the chicken breasts into 3cm/1¼in pieces. Stir the chicken and ham into the cooled sauce. Pour the chicken filling into the pie dish. Brush the pastry on the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Roll out the reserved pastry for the lid. Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim away any excess pastry. Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg. Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35–40 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown all over and the filling is piping hot. Heat the chicken stock in a large lidded saucepan. Add the chicken breasts and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the water with tongs and place on a plate. Pour the cooking liquor into a large jug. Heat the chicken stock in a large lidded saucepan. Add the chicken breasts and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the water with tongs and place on a plate. Pour the cooking liquor into a large jug. Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the leeks and fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the remaining 50g/1¾oz butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the leeks and fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the remaining 50g/1¾oz butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each addition. Gradually add 250ml/10fl oz of the reserved stock and the wine, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each addition. Gradually add 250ml/10fl oz of the reserved stock and the wine, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool. For the pastry, put the flour and butter in a food processor and blend on the pulse setting until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (alternatively rub it in by hand). With the motor running, add the beaten egg and water and blend briefly until the mixture forms a ball (take care not to overprocess the pastry as you can make it tough). Portion off 250g/9oz pastry for the lid. For the pastry, put the flour and butter in a food processor and blend on the pulse setting until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (alternatively rub it in by hand). With the motor running, add the beaten egg and water and blend briefly until the mixture forms a ball (take care not to overprocess the pastry as you can make it tough). Portion off 250g/9oz pastry for the lid. Roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface, turning the pastry frequently until around 5mm/¼in thick and 4cm/1½in larger than the pie dish. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and place it gently into the pie dish. Press the pastry firmly up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Leave the excess pastry overhanging the sides. Roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface, turning the pastry frequently until around 5mm/¼in thick and 4cm/1½in larger than the pie dish. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and place it gently into the pie dish. Press the pastry firmly up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Leave the excess pastry overhanging the sides. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put a baking tray in the oven to preheat. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put a baking tray in the oven to preheat. Cut the chicken breasts into 3cm/1¼in pieces. Stir the chicken and ham into the cooled sauce. Pour the chicken filling into the pie dish. Brush the pastry on the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Cut the chicken breasts into 3cm/1¼in pieces. Stir the chicken and ham into the cooled sauce. Pour the chicken filling into the pie dish. Brush the pastry on the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Roll out the reserved pastry for the lid. Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim away any excess pastry. Roll out the reserved pastry for the lid. Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim away any excess pastry. Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg. Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg. Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35–40 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown all over and the filling is piping hot. Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35–40 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown all over and the filling is piping hot. Recipe tips Making shortcrust pastry in a food processor is very quick and easy, but there is a risk of overworking the dough, which makes the cooked pastry tough. To avoid this, only process the dough the minimum time needed to bring it together – less is more! You can use any pastry trimmings to decorate your pie. Cut into shapes or letters of your choice, place on the pie lid using a little beaten egg to hold in place and then glaze with egg wash.