Ainsley Harriott Chicken and Leek Pie Recipe

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Ainsley Harriott’s Chicken and Leek Pie is a proper British comfort classic — tender chunks of chicken thigh and sweet leeks cooked in a rich, creamy sauce made with Ainsley’s own Chicken and Leek Cup Soup, all topped with a golden, flaky puff pastry lid that shatters at the first cut. This is the kind of pie that fills the whole kitchen with the smell of something deeply satisfying, and it is on the table in under an hour with minimal effort and maximum flavour.

Ainsley Harriott Chicken and Leek Pie Ingredients
How To Make Ainsley Harriott’s Chicken and Leek Pie
Recipe Tips
Make It Your Own — Creative Twists 💡
What To Serve With Ainsley Harriott’s Chicken and Leek Pie
How To Store Ainsley Harriott’s Chicken and Leek Pie
Nutrition Facts (per serving, based on 4 servings)
FAQs
Try More Ainsley Harriott Recipes:

Ainsley Harriott Chicken and Leek Pie Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
25g butter
1 large leek, washed, trimmed and cut into 1cm rings
1 onion, finely chopped
600g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5cm cubes
2 sachets of Ainsley Harriott Chicken and Leek Cup Soup
1 heaped tbsp plain flour
300ml milk
125g frozen peas
1 pack ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten, to glaze

How To Make Ainsley Harriott’s Chicken and Leek Pie

Soften the vegetables
Heat the vegetable oil and butter together in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and leek rings and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely softened and beginning to turn translucent. Do not rush this stage — properly softened leeks are sweeter and more tender in the finished pie.
Seal the chicken
Increase the heat and add the cubed chicken thighs to the pan. Stir continuously and cook until the chicken is sealed on all sides and beginning to take on some colour. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage — it will finish
Build the sauce
Sprinkle the contents of both sachets of Ainsley Harriott Chicken and Leek Cup Soup and the heaped tablespoon of flour over the chicken and leeks. Stir well until everything is fully coated — the flour and soup powder together will thicken the sauce beautifully. Pour in the milk and stir to combine. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
Add the peas and cool
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the frozen peas. Transfer the filling to a 2 litre pie dish and spread it out evenly. Leave to cool completely before adding the pastry — a hot filling will melt the butter in the puff pastry before it reaches the oven and produce a soggy, flat lid rather than a risen, golden one.
Preheat the oven
Heat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 7 while the filling cools.
Top and glaze the pie
Brush the edges of the pie dish with a little water. Unroll the ready-rolled puff pastry and lay it over the dish. Press the edges down firmly to seal all the way around, then trim away any excess pastry with a sharp knife. Brush the entire pastry surface evenly with the beaten egg. Use a sharp knife to cut two small slits in the centre of the lid to allow steam to escape during baking.
Bake
Place the pie on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until the pastry is well risen, deeply golden, and crisp all over. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

Use chicken thighs, not breast: Chicken thighs stay juicy and tender throughout the long simmer and the subsequent bake. Chicken breast dries out when cooked twice, producing a noticeably tougher, less enjoyable filling. The extra fat in thigh meat also adds flavour to the sauce as it renders out during cooking.

Cool the filling completely before adding the pastry: This is the single most important step for a properly risen puff pastry lid. Puff pastry works by steam being trapped between layers of butter and dough. If the filling is hot, the steam escapes before the pastry has a chance to set its layers, and you end up with a flat, dense lid. Give the filling at least 30 minutes to cool, or speed it up by spreading it on a wide tray.

Press the pastry edges firmly: Run your thumb all the way around the rim of the pie dish with real pressure to create a tight seal. Any gaps will allow the steam from the filling to escape under the pastry lid and lift it off during baking, breaking the seal and letting the sauce bubble out over the edges.

The cup soup sachets do all the seasoning: Ainsley’s Chicken and Leek Cup Soup sachets already contain salt, herbs, and seasoning, so taste the filling before adding any additional salt. In most cases, the two sachets provide exactly the right amount of flavour without anything extra needed.

Make two slits, not one: Two slits rather than one allows steam to escape more evenly from the filling, which helps keep the pastry base from going soggy from the inside. Make the slits at least 3cm apart in the centre of the pie for the best result.

Make It Your Own — Creative Twists 💡

Add smoked bacon lardons — Fry 150g of smoked bacon lardons in the pan before the onion and leek, and let them crisp slightly before adding the vegetables. The smoky, salty bacon adds a depth of flavour that works beautifully with the sweet leeks and creamy chicken sauce.

Swap peas for sweetcorn — Replace the frozen peas with the same quantity of frozen sweetcorn for a slightly sweeter, crunchier addition to the filling. Or use half peas and half sweetcorn for the best of both.

Add a mustard kick — Stir one heaped teaspoon of wholegrain mustard into the sauce along with the milk. The mustard adds a subtle warmth and complexity that cuts through the richness of the creamy filling without overpowering the delicate leek flavour.

Add the chicken thighs and cook until sealed and lightly coloured.

Top with shortcrust instead of puff — For a more traditional, heartier pie, use a sheet of shortcrust pastry instead of puff. It produces a denser, more biscuity lid that some people prefer for a proper British-style pie. Press the edges with a fork for a neat crimped finish.

Make individual pies — Divide the filling between 4 individual pie dishes and cut the puff pastry into 4 lids. Reduce the baking time to 25–28 minutes. Individual pies look impressive at the table and make serving much easier — no messy cutting through pastry with a spoon.

What To Serve With Ainsley Harriott’s Chicken and Leek Pie

Mashed Potato: Ainsley’s own recommendation — a generous pile of buttery mashed potato alongside the pie is the perfect vehicle for the creamy chicken and leek sauce that escapes with every slice. The mash soaks up every last drop.

Steamed Broccoli: A simple side of steamed broccoli florets adds colour, freshness, and a slight bitterness that contrasts well with the rich, creamy filling. It also makes the plate feel balanced rather than heavy.

Buttered Green Beans: Quickly blanched green beans tossed in a little butter and a pinch of sea salt take two minutes to prepare and add a clean, simple freshness to the plate.

Roasted Carrots: Toss whole or halved carrots in olive oil and a pinch of thyme and roast at 200°C for 25 minutes. The natural sweetness of roasted carrots complements the leek and chicken beautifully.

Thick Onion Gravy: Pour a jug of thick onion gravy over the pie at the table for an extra layer of comfort. The gravy soaks into the cut edges of the puff pastry and makes every forkful even more satisfying.

Ainsley Harriott Chicken and Leek Pie

A comforting chicken and leek pie made with chicken thighs, leeks, peas, milk, and Ainsley Harriott Chicken and Leek Cup Soup, topped with puff pastry and baked until golden.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 1

Course Main Course

Cuisine British

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

Large sauté pan
2 litre pie dish
Baking Tray

Ingredients

Pie Filling

1 tbsp vegetable oil
25 g butter
1 large leek washed, trimmed and cut into 1cm rings
1 onion finely chopped
600 g boneless chicken thighs cut into cubes
2 sachets Ainsley Harriott Chicken and Leek Cup Soup
1 heaped tbsp plain flour
300 ml milk
125 g frozen peas

Pastry Topping

1 pack ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg beaten, for glazing

Instructions

Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and leek and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
Add the chicken thighs and cook until sealed and lightly coloured.
Sprinkle over the Chicken and Leek Cup Soup sachets and flour, then stir well to coat.
Pour in the milk, stir well, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
Stir in the frozen peas, then transfer the filling to a 2 litre pie dish and leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 220C, 200C fan, or Gas 7.
Brush the edge of the pie dish with water. Cover with the puff pastry, press to seal, trim the excess, brush with beaten egg, and cut 2 small slits in the top.
Place the dish on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes until the pastry is risen and golden.

Notes

Serve with mashed potato to soak up the sauce.

Keyword Ainsley Harriott Recipe, chef ainsley, chef ainsley harriott, Chicken Pie, Comfort Food, Easy Chicken Recipe, Family Dinner, Leek Pie

How To Store Ainsley Harriott’s Chicken and Leek Pie

Refrigerate: Allow the pie to cool completely before covering. Store in the fridge in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in foil for up to 3 days.

Freeze: This pie freezes very well. Cool completely, then wrap tightly in cling film followed by foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheat: Reheat in the oven at 180°C/160°C fan for 20–25 minutes until piping hot throughout and the pastry has crisped back up. Cover loosely with foil for the first 15 minutes if the pastry top begins to darken before the filling is hot. Never reheat in the microwave — the pastry turns completely soft and loses all of its texture.

Make ahead: The filling can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Top with the pastry and bake on the day you want to serve it for the freshest, crispest result.

Nutrition Facts (per serving, based on 4 servings)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	~620 kcal
Protein	38g
Carbohydrates	48g
Fat	28g
Saturates	12g
Sugar	6g
Salt	1.8g

Nutrition estimated per serving including pastry and filling, without sides.

FAQs

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

You can, but the result will be noticeably different. Chicken thighs stay juicy and tender throughout the double-cooking process — first on the hob and then in the oven — because their higher fat content protects the meat from drying out. Chicken breast loses moisture quickly when cooked twice and can become dry and stringy in a pie. If you prefer breast meat, cut it into larger chunks than the recipe suggests and reduce the simmering time to 8–10 minutes to prevent overcooking before the pie goes in the oven. For a detailed breakdown of why thighs outperform breast in slow-cooked dishes, BBC Good Food’s guide to chicken cuts explains the difference clearly.

Can I make this pie without Ainsley’s Cup Soup sachets?

Yes, though the flavour will be slightly different. Replace the two sachets with 400ml of good quality chicken stock instead of the milk, add a teaspoon of dried thyme, a pinch of garlic powder, and season generously with salt and pepper. The result is still an excellent chicken and leek pie — it simply loses the specific depth and seasoning that the cup soup sachets provide. For a reference on building flavour in pie fillings without packet mixes, Serious Eats has a comprehensive guide to making chicken pot pie from scratch.

Why is my puff pastry not rising properly?

There are two common causes. The first is a hot filling — if the sauce is still warm when the pastry goes on, the butter in the pastry begins to melt before it reaches the oven, and the layers that create the rise are destroyed before baking even begins. Always cool the filling completely. The second cause is handling the pastry too much — stretching or pressing it across the dish rather than laying it gently and pressing only the edges. For a full explanation of how puff pastry works and why temperature is critical, The Guardian’s guide to working with puff pastry is worth reading before you start.

Can I add mushrooms to this pie?

Absolutely — sliced chestnut mushrooms are an excellent addition. Add 150g of sliced mushrooms to the pan after the onion and leek have softened, and cook for 3–4 minutes before adding the chicken. They absorb the butter and leek flavour beautifully and add an earthy depth to the filling that works very well with the creamy soup-based sauce.