Enjoy this on-the-lighter-side easy creamy chicken and leek pie without any guilt! But healthier doesn't mean it's short on flavor. This is a super easy comfort food classic made a little lighter, and it never disappoints.
3largeleekschopped and washed thoroughly (around 18 ounces)
14ounceschicken breastchopped into small to medium sized pieces
1cupchicken broth(stock)
1cupmilk(Any, but go for 2% or non-fat to keep the pie as light as possible.)
¼cupcorn starch(corn flour)
2cupsfrozen peas(about 10.5 ounces)
4cupsfrozen broccolicut into smallish pieces (about 10.5 ounces)
1tablespoonlow fat cream cheese(could be plain or the kind with garlic & herbs, if you like)
1tablespoonmixed herbssuch as mixed Italian seasoning, or your own mix of dried herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, tarragon, parsley.
plenty of salt and pepperto tastes
6ouncespuff pastry(store-bought ready-rolled) This is a rough quantity. You'll need around 12 smallish squares to dot over the top of the pie. Don't overlap too much.
Preheat the oven to 200C/390F. Heat a large splash (1-2 tablespoons) olive oil in a large saucepan, then soften the leeks and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes.
a little olive oil, 3 large leeks, 14 ounces chicken breast
Add the broth/stock and milk to the pan and leave to simmer for 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup milk, ¼ cup corn starch
Mix the corn starch/corn flour with a little water, milk or stock. Then add to the pan slowly. Let the mixture cook and thicken for a couple of minutes.
Stir in the frozen peas, broccoli, cream cheese, herbs, and plenty of salt and pepper (to taste). Then empty the mixture into a large pie dish or baking dish.
2 cups frozen peas, 4 cups frozen broccoli, 1 tablespoon low fat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon mixed herbs, plenty of salt and pepper
Cut the pastry into 12 squares or rectangles (roughly 4cm x 3/4cm). Then scatter them all over the pie filling. They should overlap in places but not cover the whole pie. Brush lightly with a little extra milk and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden.
6 ounces puff pastry
Notes
Recipe originally adapted from this recipe by Waitrose.Filling: If you have time, let the filling cool before topping with the pastry and baking. This will prevent the bottom of the pastry from getting soggy.For extra flavor, add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, or any mustard you have. Adding the pastry: Try not to overlap the pastry squares too much. If you do, the pastry that's on the bottom layer won't cook so well.Variations: You can easily make this pie with leftover roast chicken instead. Simply add the chicken when you add the vegetables. Also, feel free to add different proteins such as leftover chopped ham, turkey or bacon. You can also add mushrooms or replace the frozen vegetables with asparagus when in season. Experiment with different dried herbs. Thyme, sage, rosemary and/or tarragon go especially well. Storage and freezing: Leftovers will keep for up to 3-4 days in the fridge if covered well. If you'd like to freeze the pie, cool the filling fully before adding the pastry squares. Then cover with plastic wrap and aluminium foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, or feel free to bake straight from frozen, adding around 50% longer to the cook time. Or bake until the filling is piping hot and the pastry is nicely browned.