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1
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas Mark 4.
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2
Prepare 500ml of bechamel (white sauce) until creamy.
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3
Chop the white parts of the leeks.
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4
Keep the pieces quite large so they have some texture.
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5
Otherwise they just disappear in the sauce.
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6
Melt 10g butter in a frying pan.
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7
Cook the leeks without colour in the butter until softened and most of the liquid is evaporated.
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8
Cut each chicken breast into three pieces.
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9
I always keep my chicken quite chunky for the simple reason that I want it only half-cooked when I assemble the pie.
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10
Smaller pieces will dry out.
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11
My way, the pie and the chicken finish cooking simultaneously.
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12
Pouch the chicken pieces for approx 10mins in the bechamel sauce - dissolve one further stock cube/pot into the sauce.
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13
Keep stirring until the chicken is half-cooked.
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14
Transfer the chicken, bechamel and leek mix to a pie dish.
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15
Roll out the shortcrust pastry.
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16
Lay the pastry over the dish and mould it around the side of the dish so it holds in place.
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17
It helps to glaze the edge of the dish with beaten egg beforehand to help it stick.
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18
Brush the pastry lid with the egg wash.
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19
This will help give it some colour in the oven.
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20
Don't be tempted to trim the pastry because it will shrink in the oven and if the pastry shrinks, the pie will leak.
