Gluten-Free Chicken and Leek Pie
When you’re trying to avoid gluten, cooking comfort food can be a challenge, but with this easy gluten-free chicken and leek pie recipe, whipping up your favourite pie couldn’t be simpler. Packed with big chunks of meat, savoury leeks and rich, creamy sauce, you’ll never know the difference – and once you’ve mastered gluten-free pastry you can make all sorts of other classics too!
Gluten-Free Chicken and Leek Pie
Ingredients
- 4 small cooked, skinned chicken breasts
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 2 leeks trimmed, rinsed and sliced
- 50 g butter
- 50 g gluten-free flour
- 600 ml milk
For the pastry
- 300 g gluten-free plain flour
- 150 g butter
- 1 free-ranged egg yolk optional
You will need
- 4 individual pie dishes
Instructions
- For the filling: shred the chicken into strips and set aside. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the leeks and 2tsp water, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes until tender. Remove the onions and leeks from the pan and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and, when melted, stir in the flour. Cook until thickened, then gradually beat in the milk until smooth and season. Return the veg to the sauce. Cool in cling film.
- For the pastry: place the flour and butter into a food processor and blend until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add 6tsp water and blend again for a few seconds until the mixture clumps together. Turn out, wrap in cling film and chill for 15 minutes.
- Set the oven at 220°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Mix the chicken into the cooled sauce and divide between the dishes.
- Dust the work top with gluten-free flour. Divide the pastry into 6 and roll each piece out until its 1cm larger than the top of the pie dish. Trim off 1cm wide strip around the edge of the pastry, and cut the strip into several smaller strips. Press the strips around the top edge each pie dish (to support the pastry lid). Dampen the pastry with water then lift the pastry lids on top and press down well to seal. Crimp the edge between your finger and thumb and brush the pastry with egg yolk. Put the pies in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
This gluten-free pastry can be used to top all of your favourite pie fillings - try using it with steak and ale or chicken and mushroom too!
