Chicken and Leek Pot Pie with Black Pepper Crust

Is there anything more comforting than chicken pot pie? I grew up eating this meal all the time so in my mind it’s just pure, nostalgic, comfort food. So this version is a little different than the one I grew up eating…it is lightened up a bit, only has one crust, and includes a leek, shallot, and a few cloves of garlic to give the filling an even more delicious flavor.

This pie made me so happy as I pulled it out of the oven because it just turned out absolutely perfect. The perfect amount of filling, the perfect texture of the gravy – not too runny, but not too dry – the flakiest, crispiest crust, the kick of black pepper, everything was just awesome.

We were really hoping that we would be able to make this last for a few days of “leftover lunches,” but we ended up polishing off all but two slices of the pie, and then Seth ate the last two later that night when our friends were over…so obviously he hated it.

This would be a great meal to double and make two pies, especially if you have a husband like mine who literally eats five people’s worth of food in one sitting!

It would also be a perfect meal to make for a friend or family member. Just don’t bake it and bring it over to them with the crust already on, and all they have to do is pop it in the oven for 30 minutes and they have an amazing, comforting, home cooked meal!

So, like I said earlier, this is a lightened up version of a traditional chicken pot pie. It doesn’t include any cream of chicken soup, uses 2 % milk instead of cream, has only one crust instead of two, and is packed with veggies. Under the crust of the pie, there is a huge leek, one shallot, some garlic, three carrots, and a cup of peas. So it is definitely a veggie packed filling!

But the veggies almost melt together into the gravy and become super soft, so it doesn’t taste like you are eating a hefty serving of vegetables. It would be a great way to sneak some into your kids’ tummies ;).

I love the flavor of pepper in chicken pot pie, so that is why I decided to amp up the crust with some of it. There is pepper on both sides of the crust, so the pepper on the bottom side kind of seeps into the filling while it’s in the oven, and the pepper on the top just gives you a little extra flavor as you are eating everything together.

I used store bought pie crust for this, just to cut out an extra step and make this meal that much easier, but if you want to make your own, go for it! I think this pre made crust definitely does the trick if you are looking for an easy week night meal, though. Especially with the addition of the black pepper.

Flaky, peppery crust, thick, creamy filling…you should definitely make this absolutely perfect chicken pot pie!

Here is the recipe:

Chicken and Leek Pot Pie with Black Pepper Crust

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Annie Chesson

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 large leek or 2 small ones
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 shallot
• 3 carrots
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup 2% milk
• ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
• ⅛ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 pre-made pie crust (I used Pillsbury)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut your leek in half and rinse out any sand that is between the layers
3. Slice thin half moons with the two leek halves
4. Peel and dice your shallot and garlic
5. Peel your carrots, slice them in half, and dice them into half moons
6. Heat a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat with some olive oil
7. When the pan is hot, sautee your veggies for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the leeks are translucent and the carrots have softened
8. Melt three tablespoons of butter in with the vegetables
9. When the butter is melted, add three tablespoons of flour
10. Stir everything together until the veggies are evenly coated in the flour and butter
11. Pour in your chicken broth and milk
12. Stir together until the gravy is smooth and let this simmer for about five minutes, until it is thickened
13. Add in your parsley, nutmeg, chicken, peas, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper
14. Stir everything together and taste
15. Add any extra seasoning you think it needs
16. Pour the filling into a pie dish and set side
17. Unroll your pie crust and sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of pepper onto each side, lightly pressing the pepper in with your fingers so it sticks into the dough
18. Lay the dough on top of the filling, and press it into the pie dish along the rim with your thumbs so the gravy doesn't leak out while in the oven
19. Bake for 30 minutes
20. This pie will stay very hot for a very long time after coming out of the oven because everything just stays insulated. Once you slice the pie it will cool and become less runny pretty quick!
21. Note: You might want to place a foil lined baking sheet on the oven grate below the pie in cake anything bubbles out

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