Dinner

Easy Chicken & Leek Pot Pies Recipe

ByJake Silas January 30, 2026January 30, 2026

Introduction

These easy chicken and leek pot pies are a comforting and delicious meal perfect for any night of the week. Creamy cheese sauce combined with tender leeks and chicken creates a rich filling, all wrapped in buttery shortcrust pastry. They’re simple to prepare and great for freezing in advance.

The image shows four white ramekins filled with a golden brown baked dish, each topped with a flaky, puff pastry crust that is slightly uneven and crisp. One ramekin is in the front right, with a fork lifting a piece of the pastry to reveal creamy, thick white sauce mixed with small chunks of light green vegetables inside. The sauce is slowly dripping down the side of the ramekin. All ramekins sit in a white tray on a white marbled surface with a red and white checked cloth partly visible at the bottom right. The tray has minor marks, adding a rustic touch. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

25g butter
3 leeks, washed and sliced
350g tub fresh cheese sauce
½ bunch chives, snipped
200g cooked chicken, torn
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
320g pack shortcrust pastry
Plain flour, for dusting
1 large egg, beaten
Green vegetables, to serve (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the sliced leeks, cover, and cook gently for 10 minutes until very soft.
Step 2: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese sauce, snipped chives, torn chicken, milk, and Dijon mustard. Mix thoroughly.
Step 3: Spoon the filling evenly into small dishes or ramekins suitable for oven use.
Step 4: Lightly flour your work surface and unroll the shortcrust pastry. Use a saucer to cut circles slightly larger than the tops of your dishes.
Step 5: Place the pastry circles on top of the filled dishes. Trim any excess pastry, crimp the edges to seal, and brush the tops with the beaten egg for a golden finish.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan/gas mark 5). Bake the pies for 45 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp.
Step 7 (From Frozen): If baking from frozen, preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/gas mark 7). Cover pies with foil and bake on a tray for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 190°C (170°C fan/gas mark 5), remove the foil, and bake for a further 45 minutes, removing the foil for the last 30 minutes.
Step 8: Serve warm with green vegetables if desired.

Tips & Variations

Use leftover roast chicken or store-bought cooked chicken for a quicker preparation.
Add cooked mushrooms or peas to the filling for extra flavor and texture.
Glaze the pastry tops with milk instead of egg for a lighter crust.
Make this recipe vegetarian by substituting the chicken with cooked lentils or additional vegetables.

Storage

These pot pies can be covered and frozen for up to two months. To reheat, bake from frozen following the instructions above. Once cooked, store any leftovers in the refrigerator and consume within two days. Reheat gently in the oven to preserve the crisp pastry.

How to Serve

The image shows four individual pot pies in white ceramic ramekins on a white tray with a red and white checkered cloth underneath. Each pot pie has a golden brown, flaky crust with a slightly uneven surface on top. One pie in the front has a piece cut out, revealing a creamy filling with chunks of light-colored vegetables and bits of meat inside. A fork is lifting some of the creamy filling along with crust, and a drip of the filling is running down the side of the ramekin. The setting is on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use frozen leeks instead of fresh?

Fresh leeks work best as they cook down nicely and enhance the filling’s texture. If using frozen leeks, make sure to thaw and drain them well before cooking to avoid excess moisture.

Is it possible to make these pot pies dairy-free?

Yes, substitute the butter with a plant-based alternative and use a dairy-free cheese sauce. Make sure to check that the shortcrust pastry does not contain butter or dairy, or prepare your own dairy-free pastry.