Irish chicken and ham pie
Creamy chicken, ham and leek pie under puff pastry
IrishChicken and ham pie is the family supper of Irish homes from Westmeath to Wicklow, the way to stretch a roast chicken and a piece of cooked ham into another meal, and a staple of hotel carveries. The ham is pork. Both meats sit in a creamy leek and mushroom sauce under a puff pastry lid. Chef's tip: let the filling cool before putting on the pastry, or the butter in the puff melts and it won't rise.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighscut in 3 cm pieces
- 9 oz cooked ham (pork)cubed
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 2 leekssliced
- 7 oz mushroomssliced
- 1 ⅜ oz plain flour
- 1 ¾ cups chicken stock
- ¾ cup single cream
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 11 ½ oz ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 eggbeaten
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Melt the 1 ⅜ oz butter in a wide pan over a medium heat and brown the 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighs for 5 minutes. Add the 2 leeks and 7 oz mushrooms and cook 6 minutes, until soft.
11 minStep 2: Stir in the 1 ⅜ oz plain flour for 1 minute, then gradually add the 1 ¾ cups chicken stock and ¾ cup single cream, stirring, and simmer 8 minutes until thick. The chicken should reach 165°F in the thickest piece, with no pink.
10 minStep 3: Stir in the 9 oz cooked ham (pork), 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tsp thyme leaves, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper, tip into a 1.5 litre pie dish and leave to cool for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Lay the 11 ½ oz ready-rolled puff pastry over the dish, trim, press the edges and cut a steam hole. Brush with 1 egg.
5 minStep 5: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden and the filling bubbles at the edges. A common mistake is pastry on hot filling, which goes soggy underneath.
35 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 580 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does irish chicken and ham pie take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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