![Photograph of Chicken and Leek Pie with Tarragon](http://www.daffodilkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/IMG_6167-2-1140x855.jpg)
Chicken and Leek Pie with Tarragon
Roast chicken swathed in a smooth, creamy and flavourful sauce loaded with fresh leeks and tarragon and topped with light as a feather puff pastry. I just LOVE the classic combination of chicken and tarragon. The gently cooked leeks and tender chicken wrapped in a silky sauce, really allow the liquorice/aniseed and vanilla flavours of tarragon to shine and add a delicate flavour punch which lifts this dish from simple, homely comfort food to outstanding homely comfort food!
![](http://www.daffodilkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/IMG_6147-2-1024x768.jpg)
Tarragon is also delicious with fish and eggs. If you have any leftover, you could use it in a Béarnaise sauce, in a vinaigrette, in a potato salad, add it to an omelette, chop it, mix with salted butter and serve it with some salmon. There are so many delicious uses for this fabulous herb.
![](http://www.daffodilkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/IMG_6156-3-1024x768.jpg)
This pie is a fabulous way to turn the last of your roast chicken into a new, fresh and satisfying meal. I always make chicken stock from a chicken carcass and you can use some of that in this recipe or, if you still have some gravy left, you could use that instead. Save the stock to make a risotto, or perhaps some fresh homemade soup or even use it to cook rice and add flavour and nutrients. I like to make sure nothing goes to waste when roasting a chicken!
Make some changes: if you do not have leeks, you could replace some of the leeks with chopped onion and cook in the same way. Mushrooms and/or sweetcorn are also delicious in a chicken pie. Add to the cooked onion and cook for a further 3 – 4 minutes before adding the flour.
Hoping for a titbit!
How to make Chicken and Leek Pie with Tarragon
Collect all your ingredients together:
- unsalted butter
- fresh leek, trimmed and sliced
- plain/all-purpose
- milk
- chicken stock or leftover gravy
- Dijon mustard
- fine salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- chopped fresh tarragon
- cooked chicken, sliced or shredded
- puff pastry
- egg, beaten
Make the pie/s:
- Shred, slice or cube the chicken and chop the leek. I chop the leek quite finely for my fussy family but it is also delicious chopped or sliced in larger pieces.
- Melt the butter over a moderate heat and add the leek. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and slightly caramelised.
- Add the flour, stir well and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously.
- Mix the milk and stock or gravy and add to the leeks. stirring continuously.
- Add the mustard and the salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring for 4 – 5 minutes until thickened.
- Take off the heat, add the tarragon and stir well to mix.
- Stir in the chicken and leave to cool.
ingredients for the pie 1 Chop the leek 2 Cook the leek in the butter for 5 minutes 3 Add the flour…. …stir well and cook for 2 minutes 4 Mix the milk and stock or gravy…. …. and add to the leeks. stirring 5 Add the mustard and salt and pepper…. cook, stirring for 4 – 5 minutes until thickened. 6 Take off the heat and add the tarragon… …stir well to mix. 7 Stir in the chicken
Assemble the pie/s
You can either made individual pies or one large pie. I made three individual pies on this occasion, which is half the recipe below which is for 6 small-medium pies or 1 large one feeding 4-6 people.
- Use your pie dish as a guide to cut out your pastry lid(s)
- Grease your pie dish(es) well with butter including the rim and fill with the chicken and tarragon mixture.
- Use the scraps of pastry to cut out thin strips and lay these over the pie dish rim. Brush with water.
- Lay the pastry top over the pie and press down gently on to the pastry strips on the rim.
- Seal the pastry by either pinching with your fingers or using a fork.
- Use a knife to neaten the edges of the pastry and remove any overhanging bits. Brush the pie(s) with egg wash.
- Transfer to a baking tray (just in case the pies spill over a bit when cooking) and cut a cross shape in the top of each pie to allow the steam to escape.
- Cook in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 35 – 40 minutes until the the pastry is golden brown and puffed up and the centre of the pie is bubbling and hot
1 Cut out pastry lid(s) 2 Grease the pie dish(es) and fill 3 Lay pastry strips over dish rim. Brush with water. 4 Cover with pastry 5 Seal the edges 6 Neaten the pastry and brush with egg wash 7 Cut a cross on the top 8 Cook until golden, puffed up …. … and hot.
Made this recipe?
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Chicken and Leek Pie with Fresh Tarragon
Roast chicken swathed in a smooth, creamy and flavourful sauce loaded with fresh leeks and tarragon and topped with light as a feather puff pastry. Serves 4 – 6 people.
Ingredients
For the chicken filling:
- 60g unsalted butter
- 250g – 300g /2 large leeks, trimmed and sliced
- 60g plain/all-purpose
- 350ml milk
- 350ml chicken stock or leftover gravy
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
- 600g cooked chicken, sliced or shredded
For the pastry topping:
- 500g puff pastry (I use pre rolled or you can use a block)
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
-
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
-
Preheat oven to Fan Oven 180°C /200°C/400°F/Gas 6
-
Make the filling: shred, slice or cube the chicken.
-
Chop the leek. I chop the leek quite finely but it is also delicious chopped or sliced in larger pieces.
-
Melt the butter over a moderate heat and add the leek. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and slightly caramelised.
-
Add the flour, stir well and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously.
-
Mix the milk and stock or gravy and add to the leeks. stirring continuously.
-
Add the mustard and the salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring for 4 – 5 minutes until thickened.
-
Take off the heat, add the tarragon and stir well to mix.
-
Stir in the chicken and leave to cool.
-
Top with the pastry: roll out your pastry, if necessary. Use your pie dish(es) as a guide to cut out your pastry lid(s).
-
Grease your pie dish(es) well with butter including the rim and fill with the chicken and tarragon mixture.
-
Use the scraps of pastry to cut out thin strips and lay these over the pie dish rim. Brush with water.
-
Lay the pastry top over the pie and press down gently on to the pastry strips on the rim.
-
Seal the pastry by either pinching with your fingers or using a fork.
-
Use a knife to neaten the edges of the pastry and remove any overhanging bits. Brush the pie(s) with egg wash.
-
Transfer to a baking tray (just in case the pies spill over a bit when cooking) and cut a cross shape in the top of each pie to allow the steam to escape.
-
Cook in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 35 – 45 minutes until the the pastry is golden brown and puffed up and the centre of the pie is bubbling and hot.
-
To serve: delicious with mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes and some green vegetables.
Recipe Notes
Equipment:
- kitchen scales and measuring spoons
- chopping board and knife
- saucepan
- Either 6 individual pie dishes or 1 large 23cm/9 inch pie dish
Make some changes:
If you do not have leeks, you could replace some of the leeks with chopped onion and cook in the same way. Mushrooms and/or sweetcorn are also delicious in a chicken pie. Add to the cooked onion and cook for a further 3 – 4 minutes before adding the flour.
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