Chicken, leek and cider pie with mature cheddar and hazelnut crumble from A Bird in the Hand: Chicken Recipes for Every Day and Every Mood (page 212) by Diana Henry

  • Parmesan cheese
  • hazelnuts
  • leeks
  • parsley
  • breadcrumbs
  • milk
  • butter
  • dry hard apple cider
  • cooked chicken meat
  • mature cheddar cheese

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • Barb_N on October 11, 2022

    A recent note brought me to this recipe. Fortunately I read all of them and avoided a major problem with the roux. I still questioned the technique of adding cold milk to the roux off the heat and then heating it up. I did what I normally do, keeping it on the heat and I’m glad. After several dirty pots, pans and cutting boards (I cooked the chicken specifically for this recipe so that added some steps) I was beginning to question the whole endeavor. In spite of having to scale down the crumble due to running out of breadcrumbs, this was SOOOOOOO good. The crumble was the best but the flavors of the cider and mustard played their part beautifully. Still a project, but so worth it.

  • KarinaFrancis on October 02, 2022

    This was so damn good! Chicken, leeks and cider is a classic combination for a reason, they work brilliantly together. I read the previous comments and decided to follow my instinct with the béchamel base and luckily it turned out just right. The crumble topping is amazing, I had a bit too much so it’s stashed in the freezer for an emergency.

  • Lsblackburn1 on March 24, 2022

    Based on these notes, I only used 1/4 cup of flour in the roux and that worked. Did the crumble in the food processor. Used a Coastal cheddar and the larger crumbly pieces were the best part. I think the next day’s leftovers were even more delicious.

  • TrishaCP on November 08, 2021

    This was so tasty and comforting- a big win in my house. I had no issues with the roux (I used the 50 grams of flour and a bit more butter). I added one carrot to the leek mixture, and I would add two carrots next time (ran out of time) and also some thyme.

  • Bloominanglophile on March 22, 2020

    I chose this recipe to use up some leek greens I had languishing in the fridge (trying to be even more thrifty these days). I almost had enough, so I supplemented with some white and red onions I also needed to use up. This is a nice homey meal--one I think could be described as British comfort food. It is a bit rich, so I served it with an arugula salad. I used the online Telegraph recipe, which called for 50g of flour--had no trouble making the sauce for this dish. Don't forget to season well!

  • averythingcooks on September 14, 2019

    As others have said, the NA book has a ratio problem re: the butter / flour in the roux BUT it was pretty easy to fix. I added another chunk of butter before the milk (for me equal parts 2% milk & 5% cream). I got it as smooth as possible and simply pressed it through a sieve resulting in a silky smooth (& delicious with the cider!) sauce. Some carrots & celery went in with the leeks and I finished with frozen peas & chopped red peppadews. But the real take away here is the use of a nut (for me almonds) & cheddar crumble. We both loved the flavour/texture of the topping and brainstormed other ways to use it. My book now has notes on how to properly make the roux (see online recipe) / good add-ins / possible substitutions and this is a definite repeat.

  • e_ballad on July 29, 2019

    A very tasty, quick midweek meal. I deviated slightly by substituting sage for parsley, as it needed using up (can highly recommend).

  • Foodycat on August 13, 2018

    The crumble was fabulous - short and cheesy and delicious. The roux was fine (used the UK book) and we really liked the lightness of the half cider, half milk sauce.

  • Frenchfoodie on February 25, 2017

    Used the UK book and the roux worked well. I liked it as a change though my husband wasn't all that keen, finding the crumble a bit dry and the cider too sweet (though I used dry). A solid 4 out of 5.

  • ellencooks on February 09, 2017

    Definitely too much flour in the roux and too much topping. It would also have been helpful to include a pan size. I halved the recipe and it was a thin layer on a 9x9 pan.

  • chawkins on December 18, 2016

    I used the on-line recipe and had no problem with the roux. The crumb topping was scrumptious. The filling was slightly sweet because of the cider, but who knew cider and leek would go so well together. I used leftover Thanksgiving turkey for the pie.

  • stockholm28 on December 11, 2016

    Ugh. this was a case of bad conversion from weight to volume measures in the U.S. edition. The U.S. recipe makes the bechamel with 2 Tbsp butter and 1/2 cup of flour which is just entirely too much. The bechamel was too thick and tasted too much of flour. After making this recipe, I searched for the U.K. version as I was sure there was a conversion error. Sure enough, the U.K. version calls for 50g of flour. I weighed half a cup of flour and it came to 72g. No wonder this did not work. While this is called a "pie"' there is no pastry crust involved so it can easily be scaled and it comes together fairly quickly. I cut the recipe in half. I think this recipe has promise and could be a good use of leftover chicken. I just felt there was too much flour in both the bechamel and the crumble topping.

  • sharifah on December 08, 2016

    Creamy, tasty dish with a cheesy nutty crunchy top; what's not to like?! But in making it...the roux didn't work very well, it was lumpy and I think there wasn't enough butter for the amount of flour specified. I would add more butter next time to make sure the flour melts properly. But in the overall scheme of things, you can't see the 'lumps'! and the sauce thickened anyway...if I was forced to make a complaint I would say the dish could do with more sauce. A touch more milk, or possibly chicken stock? I used Pecorino instead of Parmesan.

You must Create an Account or Sign In to add a note to this book.

Reviews about this recipe

This recipe does not currently have any reviews.