Chicken Celeriac and Leek Lattice Pie

This Chicken Celeriac and Leek Lattice Pie is a modern take on a traditional recipe. It is a real crowd pleaser and the centerpiece at any dinner gathering, whether you are entertaining friends or feeding family.

Succulent chicken pieces, the subtle celery-like flavour with nutty undertones of the celeriac and the sweetness of leeks makes this pie what comfort food is all about. Let's not forget the buttery puff pastry that is, in itself, a temptation to any food lover.

Even when the weather starts to warm up, you just can't go past a good pie, so why not grab the last of the winter produce and make this for your family and friends this week. This dish is just so beautiful that when you take it out of the oven, you feel warm and comforted.

Helpful Tips

• Adding extra ingredients - The addition of carrots, bacon or even both would make an even more flavourful recipe. I have also added small diced pieces of potato and it made it even thicker and creamier. Why not give it a go!

• Swapping Celeriac and Leeks - If you do not like leeks then add the equivalent amount of brown onions plus two green onions in its place. Similarly, if you are not a fan of celeriac, then add 250g in potatoes, one celery stick finely sliced and one small carrot grated.

• Dairy-Free Option - You can replace the dairy cream with 250ml of your milk of choice + 1 tablespoon dairy-free butter.

• Serving - Serve your pie with a green salad, steamed vegetables or even mashed potatoes!

And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you.

Be Well, Margaret x

Serves 4 -5

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

800g-900g Chicken Thigh Fillets (I love using The Bare Bird)

300ml fresh cream

100g gluten-free plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of corn flour

300g celeriac, grated

2 large leeks, trimmed, quartered, and sliced

1 litre Chicken stock

1 teaspoon ground garlic or garlic granules

¼ cup fresh thyme leaves stalk removed

½ cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

50g butter (dairy-free option)

Zest of 1 large lemon

4 Puff Pastry Sheets (gluten-free)

1 egg lightly beaten

1. Add chicken thigh fillets to chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove chicken and using two forks roughly shred into chunky pieces or using a knife, dice into chunky pieces. Set aside the stock for later as you will only need half the amount of stock for the pie.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the leeks. Cook gently for 2 minutes until softened. Stir in the flour, the chicken stock (half of what was used to cook the chicken), and cream and cook for a further minute, stirring continuously.

3. Now add the celeriac, thyme, parsley, garlic, lemon zest and chicken pieces. Season with plenty of salt and pepper and cook over high heat for a further 3 minutes to thicken the sauce.

4. Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced. Grease a pie dish 30cm in diameter and place the first pastry sheet (You may need to add a second pastry sheet if it does not cover the entire base and sides of the pie dish). Pour into the pie dish the chicken filling.

5. Cut the remaining pastry sheets into long strips. Brush the lip of the pie dish with a little of the beaten egg, then press down a strip of pastry around the edge to cover it. Brush the pastry with more egg, then weave the other pastry strips under and over each other, pressing down at the edges to make a lattice effect.

6. Brush the pastry lattice all over with the remaining egg and bake for 50 minutes, until the pie filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden.

7. Allow cooling 15 minutes before serving.