Few baking projects feel more worthwhile than a chicken and ham pie pulled fresh from the oven. It is a classic of British home cooking that converts simple ingredients into a rich, comforting centrepiece.

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Prep Time: 40 mins · Cook Time: 40 mins · Serves: 6-8 · Oven Temp: 200C Fan · Key Ingredients: Chicken, ham, leeks, white sauce

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Bake at 200C Fan for 40 mins (Kerrygold)
  • Filling freezes up to 3 months in sealed container (BBC Good Food)
  • One-pan method bakes raw chicken directly in dish (Taming Twins)
2What’s unclear
  • Optimal ham cut varies by regional preference
  • Exact pastry ratio differs between recipes
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Freeze unbaked pies up to 3 months for quick weeknight dinners (Taming Twins)
  • Swap in leftover roast chicken for faster assembly (Taming Twins)
Five key parameters across tested recipes
Parameter Value
Dish Type Savoury pie
Cuisine British
Key Protein Chicken breast, cooked ham
Pastry Puff pastry
Common Add-in Leeks or mushrooms

What sauce goes in chicken and ham pie?

White sauce basics

The white sauce, or béchamel, is what separates a great chicken and ham pie from a dry one. BBC Good Food builds their sauce with a roux of butter and plain flour, then dilutes with hot chicken stock and milk. The result coats every piece of chicken, ham, and vegetable evenly. A squeeze of lemon juice brightens the richness, and chopped parsley adds a fresh note before the pastry goes on.

The upshot

A proper white sauce is not optional—it is what makes the filling cohesive and prevents the pie from drying out during baking. Skipping it produces a loose, watery result.

How to make white sauce for chicken and ham pie

The Derbyshire County Council recipe uses 90g butter, 25g flour, and 1 litre of stock for a larger pie, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens. English mustard stirred into the sauce adds warmth without heat. Taming Twins takes a shortcut by mixing cornflour directly into hot stock with single cream, cooking it for two minutes until it turns glossy. That version skips the traditional roux entirely, which means fewer lumps to worry about.

Sauce flexibility

Home cooks can choose between the roux-based method for a silky finish or the cornflour shortcut for speed—the filling works either way.

Taming Twins notes their one-pan method bakes raw chicken directly in the dish, letting the sauce thicken around the meat as everything cooks together. That simplicity appeals to home cooks who want minimal prep without sacrificing result.

What goes with chicken and ham pie?

Side dish ideas

  • Mashed potatoes or buttered new potatoes complement the richness
  • Steamed broccoli or green beans add colour and texture
  • A light side salad with vinaigrette cuts through the creamy filling

Alternatives to mixed salad

Great British Chefs describes chicken pie as a fantastic way of using up leftover meat from a Sunday roast, and that practicality extends to the sides. Great British Chefs notes that family favourite accompaniments tend toward the simple: buttered vegetables, crusty bread, or roasted parsnips. The Derbyshire County Council recipe explicitly lists mushrooms, potatoes, sweetcorn, peas, spinach, parsnips, and carrots as compatible add-ins for the filling itself.

Why this matters

Since the filling already contains vegetables, a neutral starch side like mashed potato or crusty bread balances the plate without crowding out the pie’s flavour.

How long should I cook chicken and ham pie?

Oven temperature and time

Kerrygold specifies a fan oven temperature of 200C with a 40-minute bake for a standard 30 x 20cm pie dish. BBC Good Food recommends 45 to 60 minutes for a chicken leek ham pie, with the higher end applying when the filling comes straight from the freezer. The pastry should turn golden brown and the filling should bubble at the edges before the pie comes out.

BBC Good Food notes that the pastry should turn golden brown and the filling should bubble at the edges before the pie comes out of the oven.

One-pan cooking method

Taming Twins reports a total time of 55 minutes—5 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of cooking for a recipe that serves 4. Their method bakes the chicken and vegetables first for 30 minutes, then the sauce and puff pastry go on top for the final 20 to 25 minutes. That sequencing ensures the chicken cooks through without the pastry burning.

Do I need to cook chicken before putting it in a pie?

Pre-cooking chicken

Both approaches work, but they produce different textures. BBC Good Food calls for 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed and mixed raw with the sauce before baking. The hot white sauce partially cooks the chicken as it bakes, and the result stays tender. A pre-cooked chicken tends to dry out slightly during the long bake unless it is already very moist from poaching.

Poaching method

Some traditional recipes, including those inspired by Nancy Birtwhistle, call for poaching chicken breasts in white wine and stock for 15 minutes before assembling the pie. This step guarantees the chicken is fully cooked and adds extra flavour to the base liquid. The trade-off is extra time and a step that novice cooks sometimes skip.

The catch

If you bake raw chicken in the filling, use a thermometer to check the centre reaches 75C. Otherwise, the chicken risks staying undercooked while the pastry looks done.

What are common mistakes making chicken pie?

Pot pie pitfalls

  • Using a sauce that is too thin causes a watery filling
  • Overworking the pastry makes it tough instead of flaky
  • Adding cold sauce to hot chicken creates uneven cooking
  • Skipping the egg wash leaves the pastry pale and dull
  • Cutting into the pie before it rests lets the filling run

Avoiding soggy pastry

Taming Twins advises working quickly when placing puff pastry over a hot pan—the pastry can begin to melt before it hits the oven. Lavender and Lovage notes that hot water crust pastry must be used warm to avoid brittleness, and raised pies benefit from resting on a rack to prevent a soggy base. The Derbyshire County Council recipe highlights milk, gluten, and eggs as allergens, which matters for anyone serving the pie to guests with dietary restrictions.

How to make chicken and ham pie

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C fan. Grease a 30 x 20cm ovenproof dish with butter.
  2. Prepare the filling. Cube 4 chicken breasts, dice 120g of cooked ham, and chop one onion and small broccoli florets if desired.
  3. Make the sauce. Whisk 50g cornflour into 200ml hot chicken stock, then stir in 300ml single cream and 2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard. Cook for two minutes until glossy.
  4. Assemble. Spread the chicken and vegetables in the dish, pour over the sauce, scatter the ham, and tuck in 375g of puff pastry sheet.
  5. Glaze and bake. Brush with beaten egg, bake for 40 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling bubbles at the edges.
  6. Rest before serving. Let the pie stand for five minutes so the filling sets slightly.

Related reading: BBC Good Food chicken & ham pie · Taming Twins one-pan chicken ham pie

Additional sources

youtube.com, campbellsoup.co.uk, derbyshire.gov.uk, bbcgoodfood.com

Home cooks tackling chicken and ham pie often face soggy pastry woes, much like those fixed in the chicken and bacon pie recipe with reliable techniques.

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Frequently asked questions

What cut of ham is best for chicken pie?

Cooked gammon or thick-cut ham works best because it holds its shape during baking and adds a salty, smoky depth. Thin deli slices tend to shrink and disappear into the filling.

How to make chicken and ham pie using leftovers?

Replace the raw chicken with leftover roast chicken or turkey in roughly equal amounts. Reduce the cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes since the meat is already cooked. Campbell’s Soup UK recommends using leftover turkey or gammon with a can of Cream of Chicken Soup as a shortcut sauce.

Is puff pastry best for chicken and ham pie?

Puff pastry produces a light, crisp lid that browns beautifully. Shortcrust works better for a base when you want structural support, but most one-pan recipes use puff for the top only. BBC Good Food notes that puff tops are the easier choice for home bakers.

Can I freeze chicken and ham pie?

Yes. The BBC Good Food chicken leek ham pie filling freezes for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Bake the pie from frozen at 180C for 1 to 1.5 hours until piping hot throughout. Lavender and Lovage advises defrosting raised pies on a wire rack to avoid a soggy base.

What’s the difference between chicken and ham pie and pot pie?

Pot pie is a broader American term for any meat or vegetable filling baked under pastry in a single-serving dish. The British chicken and ham pie specifically uses chicken and ham as the protein, often with leeks or mushrooms, in a creamy white sauce and typically made in one large dish for sharing.

Simple chicken and ham pie recipe for beginners?

The Taming Twins one-pan method is the most forgiving for beginners: 5 minutes of prep, no tricky sauce roux, and everything bakes in one dish. It produces a golden puff pastry top and a creamy filling that even first-time bakers achieve consistently.

Old fashioned chicken and ham pie method?

Lavender and Lovage documents the hot water crust method, which requires 26 hours and 30 minutes total including resting time. The pastry uses 450g plain flour, 75g butter, and 115g lard with milk and water, worked warm and moulded into a raised pie shape. This traditional technique produces a dense, sturdy crust that descends from centuries-old English coffer paste.

Bottom line: The one-pan Taming Twins method delivers reliable results for beginners—5 minutes of prep, 55 minutes total, and no tricky sauce roux. For entertainers, the traditional hot water crust raised pie earns applause at the table but demands patience and planning. Either way, bake to 200C fan for 40 minutes and rest before slicing.