A Humble Chicken, Ham, and Leek Pie

There's something deeply comforting about a homemade pie. It’s not the fastest meal to make, but that’s rather the point. It’s a labour of love, a ritual that fills the kitchen with the most wonderful aromas and promises a hearty, satisfying meal at the end. This recipe, a classic combination of chicken, ham, and leek, is one of my favourites. It’s not fussy or pretentious, just honest, good food.

Gathering Your Ingredients

This is the kind of dish that makes the most of simple things. You'll need:

• Chicken breasts
• Good chicken stock
• A leek, washed and sliced
• A clove of garlic, minced
• Butter and flour (for the sauce)
• Milk and a splash of cream
• A good handful of cooked ham, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Flour, butter, an egg, and a little water (for the pastry)
• A dash of white wine (optional, but lovely)

A Simple, Savoury Sauce

The heart of this pie is its creamy sauce. We start by gently poaching the chicken in the stock, which does two wonderful things: it cooks the chicken perfectly and gives us a beautifully flavoured broth to use later. While that’s happening, we softly fry the leeks in butter until they’re sweet and tender, then build a simple roux with flour. Slowly, slowly, we add the milk and our reserved stock, stirring constantly until we have a smooth, velvety sauce. Season it well, stir in the cream, and then we just let it cool. Patience here is key!

Bringing It All Together

While the sauce is cooling, you can turn your hand to the pastry. A quick whizz in the food processor makes it incredibly easy, though of course, a ready-made block would work just fine if you're short on time. Roll out the base, line your dish, and then it’s time for the best bit: combining the sauce with the flaked chicken, salty ham, and those soft leeks.

Pour the filling into the dish, top with its pastry lid, and give it a good seal. Don't forget to make a small hole in the top for the steam to escape – a little pie chimney! A brush of beaten egg will give it that glorious golden shine.

The Final Reward

Bake it until the pastry is puffed and golden and you can hear the filling bubbling away inside. The wait as it cools just slightly is almost unbearable. Then, slice into it. That moment when your spoon breaks through the crisp pastry into the creamy, savoury filling is pure joy. It’s the kind of meal that asks to be shared, a true testament to the comfort of home cooking.