Easy chicken and leek pie

If you want to prepare the pie in advance, make the filling and chill until needed. When ready to cook, add the pastry top and bake for 5–10 minutes longer than directed (as the filling will be fridge cold).

Kerry's top tip for keeping pie pastry crisp, is to put a shot glass (or plain ceramic egg cup) in the middle of the pie dish to stop the pastry sinking into the saucy filling. Make sure it is made from toughened glass, designed to be heated, or it could shatter. A proper pie funnel also works perfectly if you are lucky enough to have one.

Using chicken breasts keeps the calories down, but boned chicken thighs also work well (and tend to be cheaper). They are also a little more forgiving if you overcook, or want to reheat the pie later. You need about 500g/1lb 2oz boneless chicken thigh fillets. You’ll need to trim off the excess fat and cut each one into 3 pieces.

If you are really short of time, use cooked chicken from a rotisserie-style bird, or cooked chicken breasts. You might even be able to salvage enough leftover meat after a roast chicken, especially if you add chopped ham, or mushrooms to make it go further. Use a chicken stock cube instead of a vegetable one for an extra chicken-y flavour.

Instead of sliced leek, you could use finely chopped onion and sliced mushrooms. Or add frozen and thawed mixed vegetables to the pie filling and make a chicken pot pie. The sauce also makes a great base for cooked vegetables leftover from another meal.

You can find the full-fat soft cheese suitable for making this recipe sold in tubs in the chiller aisle of the supermarket. It often has a little salt added and is suitable for savoury and sweet dishes. If swapping for crème fraiche, make sure you choose the full-fat version for the best results.

Instead of a ready rolled sheet of puff pastry, you could use a block instead and roll out yourself – especially useful if you don’t have a rectangle or square dish in which to bake the pie. It will need to be rolled on a lightly floured surface until around 5mm/in thick. Use any excess pastry to make decorations for the pie. You could use ready-made shortcrust pastry instead of puff pastry if you like – or make your own.

Trim the pastry with a sharp knife to encourage it to puff up as it bakes. For a gloriously glossy topping, glaze the pie with beaten egg instead of milk. Brush on lightly and avoid the pastry edges as the egg may stick the layers together and prevent them rising.

If you have time, allow the filling to cool before topping with the pastry, so the hot sauce doesn’t cause the pastry to soften and droop. Once topped, the pie can then be glazed and popped into the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Add an extra 5–10 minutes to the cooking time to allow for the chilling.

The filling also makes a great sauce to toss with cooked pasta shapes. Sprinkle with grated cheese and breadcrumbs then bake until bubbling and golden brown.