Creamy Chicken Pie with Puff Pastry

This creamy chicken pie recipe is pure comfort – and thoroughly deserving of a permanent spot in your dinner rotation! Crispy, golden puff pastry is filled with tender chunks of chicken, bacon and mustard in an irresistibly creamy sauce. A family favourite recipe that can be customised to make individual pies, pot pie or one large pie – the choice is yours!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick and easy – the one-pan pie filling is ready in less than 15 minutes and can be prepared ahead of time. We use store-bought pastry for convenience and you can speed things up even more by using leftover chicken!
• Customisable – assemble in a pie maker, individual tins, ramekins or a large dish, whichever you prefer.
• The creamiest chicken pie filling – the best part of this chicken pie is inside! The creamy filling is loaded with flavour from wholegrain mustard and parmesan, along with tender chunks of chicken and smoky, salty bacon. A double-batch is in order, because I promise you won’t want to stop eating it!
• Freezer friendly – both the pies and the filling store beautifully. So, you can batch-cook and keep them in the freezer for a quick and easy meal.
• Family favourite – served for lunch with a simple salad, Easter celebrations or a family dinner; this simple recipe is a crowd-pleaser that does not disappoint.

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. This photo is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken thighs are recommended for pies, as they are fattier and more flavoursome than chicken breast. The dark meat also stays juicier and more tender when cooked for longer periods. Chicken breast will still work, just make sure you don’t overcook it. This is a great recipe to use up any leftover chicken like air fryer roast chicken. Or, buy a supermarket rotisserie chicken to save time.
• Puff pastry – puff pastry forms the flaky tops of the pies. To save time, use the 25 x 25cm ready-made sheets of frozen puff pastry from the supermarket. Or, make your own homemade pastry if preferred. Choose butter puff pastry for ultra-flaky lids. And make sure the pastry sheets are mostly thawed before using them, so they don’t crack or break.
• Shortcrust pastry – crumbly shortcrust pastry forms the base of the pies. In Australia, pastry comes frozen in ready-made sheets of 25 x 25cm.
• Cheese – parmesan and aged cheddar (called ‘tasty cheese’ in Australia) add seasoning and umami flavour to the sauce. When melted, the cheese also works to thicken the filling. I recommend using fresh cheese that you grate yourself, rather than pre-shredded cheese. Pre-packaged, shredded cheese won’t melt properly, which can cause lumps and a runny sauce.
• Cornflour – cornflour (corn starch) thickens the filling, so that the sauce doesn’t run out of the pie. I use 3 teaspoons, but you can adjust the quantities to achieve your desired thickness. If you want gluten-free pies, make sure your cornflour is gluten-free and use along with your favourite gluten-free pastry.
• Bacon – use a good-quality smoked bacon or pancetta for loads of flavour.
• Cream – heavy, thickened cream or cooking cream makes the sauce rich, thick and creamy. Cooking cream is recommended, as it won’t curdle or split when heated. I don’t recommend light or low-fat cream, as it won’t thicken as nicely and is more likely to split.
• Mustard – wholegrain mustard is the secret ingredient for the most gorgeous, savoury and flavourful pie filling. The acidity helps to balance the richness of the cream sauce and adds so much flavour. Taste the sauce and adjust, if needed. I don’t recommend skipping this ingredient, but Dijon mustard could be used instead, if required.
• Egg (optional) – brushing egg over the pastry before baking will give the pies a crisp and golden crust. Egg is not required if you are using a pie maker.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large frying pan and individual pie dishes, a pie maker or a large pie dish, depending on how you want to make them.

Step by step instructions

You’ll find the detailed step-by-step recipe card below, but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect;

Make the filling;

1. Cook the chicken. Brown the chicken pieces in a large frying pan with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the pan and drain any excess liquid.
2. Fry the bacon. Using the same pan, fry the bacon pieces until crisp. Leave any excess oil from the bacon in the pan for flavour.
3. Return the chicken to the pan.
4. Add the cream and bring to a low simmer.
5. Stir the grated cheeses and mustard into the cream, until the cheese has completely melted into the sauce.
6. Thicken the sauce. Add the cornflour mixed with a little water and stir until the sauce has become quite thick.
7. Cool – turn the heat off and allow the sauce to cool and continue to thicken.

Tip: Make sure the filling has cooled before assembling the pies. Hot pie filling will melt the butter in the pastry, causing soggy spots that won’t puff up or become crisp and flaky.

How to make them in a pie maker;

Using a pie maker is the quickest and easiest option. This version does not require the pastry bases to be blind-baked before adding the filling. And assembly is quicker, easier and less fiddly.

You will need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your pie maker.

1. Cut the pastry to size. If you have one, use the pastry cutter designed for your pie maker to cut the pastry into rounds of shortcrust bases and puff pastry tops. The bases should be slightly larger than the puff pastry tops.
2. Assemble the pies. Press the shortcrust bases into the pie maker holes. Spoon the cooled filling into the prepared bases and then press the remaining puff pastry lids over the top. Gently press to seal the edges of the pies.
3. Cook – close the lid of the pie maker. Cook according to your pie maker instructions, or until the pastry is crispy and golden on the outside and the filling is steaming hot in the middle. Serve immediately with your choice of chips, salad or vegetables.

How to make individual pies in the oven;

1. Prepare the base; gently press the prepared shortcrust base into your chosen pie tins. The pastry should cover the base of the dish and extend all the way up the sides.
2. Blind bake; cover the pastry with a sheet of baking paper and top with baking beads (or dried lentils or beans) to keep the pastry in shape as it cooks. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the pastry is firm.
3. Assemble the pies; spoon the cooled filling into the pastry base and top with the prepared puff pastry lid/s. Trim the excess pastry to fit the dish and use a fork to seal the edges.
4. Brush the pastry with egg wash.
5. Bake until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is steaming hot all the way through (see the recipe card below for full instructions).

Carefully remove the pies from the tins and serve immediately.

Variations

Use this recipe as a base and adapt it to suit;

• An electric pie maker,
• Individual pie tins,
• Ramekins (for chicken pot pies without the pastry base),
• A large pie dish ,
• or even muffin tins, depending on preference!

The filling is already safely cooked through before assembly. So whichever variation you choose, you only need to bake until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is steaming hot in the middle.

* The quantities provided below are for sheets of ready-made pastry. However, you can adapt the quantities to suit homemade shortcrust and puff pastry, if preferred.

This recipe yields about 3 ½ cups of chicken pie filling, so use the quantities below as a guide;

• Pie maker – when prepared in a standard pie maker, this recipe yields 10 individual pies (⅓ cup filling per pie). You will need 3-4 sheets of shortcrust pastry for the bases and 2 ½ sheets of puff pastry for the lids.
• For individual pies made in 10cm pie tins, this recipe yields 7 pies (½ cup filling per pie). You will need 4-5 sheets of shortcrust pastry for the bases and 3 sheets of puff pastry for the lids.
• A large pie can be made in a 23cm pie dish with 1.2 litre capacity. 1-2 sheets of shortcrust pastry form the base and 1 and ½ sheets of puff pastry are required for the top.
• For chicken pot pie – skip the pastry bottom and make chicken pot pies instead. This recipe will make 7 small pot pies using ramekins with ½ cup capacity, or one large pot pie in a dish with 1 litre capacity. Simply spoon the filling into the dishes. Then, top with puff pastry rounds that are wide enough to seal to the sides of the dish. Seal, brush with egg wash and bake on an oven tray until the tops are crisp and golden.
• For mini pies, prepare the pies in a muffin tin. Making them in a muffin tin will yield 12-14 small pies.

Expert tips

• The filling can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen for convenience, ready to assemble and bake when required. This option makes dinner super easy!
• For pies, use thighs! Chicken thighs are more flavourful and will remain juicy and tender when cooked for longer periods. The fat from the chicken thighs also provides flavour and richness to the sauce. Chicken breast tends to dry out when cooked for longer periods and the filling won’t be as flavourful.
• Cool the filling before adding it to the pastry. Hot pie filling will melt the butter in the puff pastry, which results in soggy pastry with less puff.
• Cornflour is used to thicken the cream sauce. Thicken to your desired consistency before adding the filling to the pies. Don’t leave the sauce runny, or it will spill out of the pies when you try to eat them.
• Swap the chicken thighs for leftover cooked chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the shops. Cook the filling (without the chicken) as normal and then stir the cooked and chopped chicken into the creamy sauce at the end.
• To prevent a soggy pastry base, blind bake the pastry bases before adding the filling. This step is not required if you are using a pie maker.

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Creamy Chicken Pie with Puff Pastry

This creamy chicken pie recipe is pure comfort – and thoroughly deserving of a permanent spot in your dinner rotation! Crispy, golden puff pastry is filled with tender chunks of chicken, bacon and mustard in an irresistibly creamy sauce. This family favourite recipe can be customised to make individual pies, pot pie or one large pie – the choice is yours!

4.70 from 42 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Australian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 pies

Calories: 600kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

Metric – US Customary

 

0.5x1x2x3x

• ▢ 600 grams chicken thighs chopped into small (2cm) pieces. Alternatively, use 600 grams leftover cooked chicken (diced).
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ black pepper
• ▢ 200 grams bacon diced
• ▢ 2 cups cooking cream 500 ml. Use cooking cream, thickened cream or heavy cream.
• ▢ 4 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
• ▢ ½ cup aged cheddar cheese (tasty cheese), freshly grated
• ▢ ½ cup parmesan cheese fresh, grated
• ▢ 3 teaspoons cornflour
• ▢ 3-4 sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry 25 x 25cm ready-rolled sheets, thawed. If making pot pies, shortcrust pastry is not required.
• ▢ 2-3 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry 25 x 25cm ready-rolled sheets, thawed
• ▢ egg beaten (for the glaze), optional

Instructions

• If using a pie maker, set it up on a clean bench and set aside the attached pastry cutter.

Oven preparation;

• If making them in an oven (individual pies, pot pie or one large pie), pre-heat your oven to 200°C/392 F.

  Depending on how you are making the pies, set aside;

  7 x 10cm pie tins

  1 x 23cm pie dish with 1.2 litre capacity

  7 x ramekins (½ cup capacity).

  1 x 1 litre capacity pie dish for chicken pot pie (no pastry bottom)

For the creamy chicken filling

• In a large frying pan over high heat, brown the chicken pieces along with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir until browned on all sides. * If using leftover, already cooked chicken, leave the chicken out until the end.
• Drain any excess liquid from the chicken and remove from the pan (place in a bowl for later).
• Add the bacon to the frying pan and stir over high heat until crispy.
• Return the chicken pieces to the pan with the bacon.
• Turn the heat to low and stir through the cream. Bring to a low simmer.
• Add the wholegrain mustard, tasty cheese and parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese has completely melted into the sauce.
• In a small cup or jug, mix the cornflour with about ¼ cup water and stir until combined (no lumps). * If using leftover, already cooked chicken, stir it through the sauce now.
• Add the cornflour and water mixture to the sauce and stir over very low heat until the filling becomes quite thick. Remove the pan from the heat and set the filling aside to cool.

Pie maker method;

• You may need to cook in batches, depending on your pie maker.
• Remove the pastry from the freezer and set aside on a bench to partially thaw while the pie filling cools.
• Use your pie maker pastry cutter to cut the shortcrust bottoms and puff pastry tops to size. The shortcrust bottoms should be slightly bigger than the lids, to fit into the base of the pie maker.
• Place the shortcrust pastry bottoms into the pie maker holes and gently press to fit.
• Spoon the pie filling (approx. ⅓ cup per pie) into the pastry cases and place the puff pastry "lids" on top. Use your fingers to gently press the edges to create a seal.
• Turn the pie maker on and close the lid. Cook until the pastry is crisp and golden on the outside and the filling is steaming hot in the middle. Repeat until all of the filling is used up (approx. 10 pies).
• Serve immediately with your favourite salads, chips or veggies.

For individual chicken pies in the oven;

• Pre-heat oven to 200°C/392 F.
• Remove the pastry from the freezer to partially thaw while the pie filling cools.
• Then, use your pie tins as a guide to cut the shortcrust pastry about 2.5cm/1" wider (all the way around) than the pie tins. Be generous, the excess pastry can be trimmed away later.
• Cut the puff pastry lids to the size of your pie tins, to fit over the top with a little overlap.
• Gently press the shortcrust pastry bases into your pie tins and use a fork to press holes in the bottom. Trim any long edges away, so that the pastry reaches the edges at the top of the tin.
• Cover the pastry bases with a sheet of baking paper and cover with baking beads, uncooked beans or lentils (to help the pastry hold its shape as it bakes).
• Blind bake for around 10 minutes, until the pastry is firm but still pale. Remove from the oven and place the bases on a wire rack (leave them in the tins). Remove the baking paper and baking beads, ready to assemble the pies.
• Increase the oven temperature to 220°C/428 F.
• Spoon the cooled pie filling into the pastry bases, about ½ cup of filling per pie.
• Top the pies with the puff pastry lids, trim any excess pastry from the sides and use a fork to seal the edges to the base.
• Brush the pastry tops with egg wash (optional).
• Bake for a further 20 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is steaming hot in the middle. *As the pie filling is already cooked when assembling the pies, you only need to bake until the pastry is crisp and golden and the pies are hot all the way through.
• Serve immediately with your favourite salad, chips or veggies.

For one large pie (pastry top and bottom)

• Pre-heat oven to 200°C/392 F.
• Remove the pastry from the freezer to partially thaw while the pie filling cools.
• Then, use your pie dish (23cm, 1.2 litre capacity) as a guide to cut the shortcrust pastry about 2.5cm/1" wider (all the way around) than the pie dish. Be generous, the excess pastry can be trimmed away later.
• Cut the puff pastry lid to the size of your pie dish, so that it fits the top with a little overlap.
• Gently press the shortcrust pastry base into your pie dish and use a fork to press holes in the bottom. Trim any long edges away, so that the pastry reaches the edges at the top of the dish.
• Cover the pastry base with a sheet of baking paper and cover with baking beads, uncooked beans or lentils (to help the pastry hold its shape as it bakes).
• Blind bake for 10-15 minutes, until the pastry is firm but still pale. Remove from the oven and remove the baking paper and baking beads, ready to assemble the pie.
• Increase the oven temperature to 220°C/428 F.
• Spoon the cooled pie filling into the pastry base.
• Top the pie with the puff pastry lid, trim any excess pastry from the sides and use a fork to seal the edges to the base.
• Brush the pastry tops with egg wash (optional).
• Bake for a further 30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is steaming hot in the middle. As the pie filling is already cooked when assembling the pies, you only need to bake until the pastry is crisp and golden and the pies are hot all the way through.
• Slice the pie into pieces and serve immediately with your favourite salad, chips or veggies.

For chicken pot pie (no pastry on bottom)

• Remove the puff pastry from the freezer to partially thaw while the pie filling cools.
• Using a knife or circular pastry cutter, cut the puff pastry into circular lids. Use the ramekins/pie dish or a bowl as a guide and make the lids 1-2cm larger than the ramekins, so that the pastry extends over the sides.
• Divide the cooled filling evenly between 6-7 ramekins or one large 23cm pie dish (1 L capacity). The filling should be almost level with the top of the ramekins.
• Gently place the puff pastry lids over the top of the filling and press the edges to the sides of the ramekins/dish, to seal. Gently poke 2-3 holes in the middle of each lid and brush the tops with a little egg (optional). Arrange the ramekins (or pie dish) on a large oven tray.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed up and become golden and flaky. Remove the pies from the oven and serve immediately with your favourite salads, chips or veggies.

Video

Notes

1. Chicken – I recommend using skinless, boneless chicken thighs for the richest, most flavourful pie filling. Chicken thighs are fattier and more flavoursome than chicken breast. And dark meat tends to stay juicier and more tender when cooked for longer periods. Chicken breast will still work, just make sure you don’t overcook it. This is also a great recipe to use up any leftover chicken like air fryer roast chicken or a supermarket rotisserie chicken.
2. Make sure the pastry is mostly thawed (but still cold) before using them, so they don’t crack or break.
3. Pie maker – when prepared in a standard pie maker, this recipe yields 10 individual pies (⅓ cup filling per pie). You will need 3-4 sheets of shortcrust pastry for the base and 2 ½ sheets of puff pastry for the lids.
4. For individual pies made in 10cm pie tins, this recipe yields 7 pies (½ cup filling per pie). You will need 4-5 sheets of shortcrust pastry for the bases and 3 sheets of puff pastry for the lids.
5. A large pie can be made into one 23cm pie dish with 1.2 litre capacity. 1-2 sheets of shortcrust pastry form the base and 1 ½ sheets of puff pastry are required for the top.
6. For chicken pot pie – skip the pastry bottom and make chicken pot pies instead. This recipe will make 7 small pot pies using ramekins with ½ cup capacity, or one large pot pie in a dish with 1 litre capacity. Cut the puff pastry to the size of your dish/es, with a little extra length to allow for sealing along the sides. Spoon the filling into the dish and top with the pastry. Seal the pastry to the edges of the ramekins, brush with egg wash and bake on an oven tray until the tops are crisp and golden.
7. For mini pies, prepare the pies in a muffin tin. Making them in a muffin tin will yield 12-14 pies.
8. The pie filling can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen for convenience, ready to be added to the pies when required. This option makes dinner super easy!
9. Cool the pie filling before adding it to the pastry. A hot pie filling will melt the butter in the puff pastry, which means soggy pastry and less puff.
10. Cornflour is used to thicken the pie filling. Thicken to your desired consistency before adding the filling to the pies. Nobody wants a runny pie!
11. Swap the chicken thighs for leftover cooked chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the shops. Cook the filling (without the chicken) as normal and then stir the cooked and chopped chicken into the creamy sauce to heat through before adding it to the pie dish.
12. To prevent a soggy pastry base, blind bake the pastry bases before adding the filling. This step is not required if you are using a pie maker.
13. Storage; leftover pies can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow the pies to cool before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the oven or air fryer before serving and cover with foil if necessary. The pie filling can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Add it to the pastry and bake when you are ready to eat.
14. Freezing; both the pie filling and the baked pies freeze well and are a great for batch-cooking. Make the pie/s and let them cool on a wire rack before freezing in freezer-safe containers or bags. Store for up to 3 months. Let the pies thaw in the fridge and then reheat in the oven until the pastry is crisp and the filling is steaming hot in the middle. To freeze the pie filling on its own, allow it to cool before placing it into an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge before spooning into your prepared pie bases and baking as normal.
15. Please note that the nutrition information is based on the recipe being divided into 10 pies in a pie maker, with one pie being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the pies.
16. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 600kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 885mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 556IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 3mg

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in May 2019, but was re-published with new information and photos in October 2023.