Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie Recipe

There’s a reason Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie Recipe keeps turning up on tables across the country — it’s the sort of classic British dish that manages to feel both cosy and genuinely satisfying without asking much of you in the kitchen. Underneath that golden pastry sits a rich filling built from tender chicken and smoky ham, all bound together in a creamy white sauce that’s properly smooth — no lumps, no fuss, just a savoury sauce that coats every bite. I’ve made this more times than I can count for family dinners and Sunday lunches, and it never fails to bring people back for seconds; there’s something about familiar flavours done well that beats anything overly complicated.

What makes it such a reliable choice for weekend cooking is the practical cooking style behind it — nothing here demands special skill, just a bit of patience while the flaky crust turns properly crisp and golden. The gentle flavours and balanced flavours running through the smooth sauce mean it suits family meal nights just as easily as a special weekend spread, and it’s brilliant for using up leftover chicken or roast chicken if you’ve got some sitting in the fridge. From start to finish you’re looking at around 1 hour and 30 minutes, which for a proper homemade, hearty pie with this much flavour and satisfying texture feels like a fair trade — comforting, rich, genuinely simple, and exactly the kind of dinner that makes a comfort food night feel complete.

What Is Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie?

At its heart, Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie is a proper traditional British pie — the sort your grandmother might have made, built around cooked chicken and cooked ham bound in a creamy white sauce thick enough to hold its shape once sliced. Leeks bring a gentle sweetness that balances the richness of the ham and chicken, and the whole thing sits underneath a sheet of golden pastry, usually puff pastry, that’s baked until properly golden and crisp on top.

What I appreciate most about this classic British pie is how well everything sits together — there’s a real balance here, with clear flavours rather than anything muddled, thanks to a practical cooking style that doesn’t overcomplicate the filling. Get the sauce right and you avoid the common pitfall of a dry filling; keep it properly moist and glossy, and you end up with exactly the kind of British comfort food that feels like a traditional recipe handed down rather than something rushed together on a weeknight.

Why This Recipe Is Worth Trying

If you’re after comforting flavours without anything too heavy, this pie strikes a lovely balance — creamy, properly savoury, and genuinely well-balanced, so it never tips into feeling rich for the sake of it. It’s also thoroughly family-friendly, with a mild flavour profile that’s satisfying enough for adults but gentle enough to suit all ages round the table, which is exactly why it’s become such a regular in my own kitchen.

Beyond the taste, it’s make-ahead friendly, so you can prepare in advance on a quieter afternoon and simply bake it later when you’re ready. The filling itself is wonderfully flexible, happy to take on leftovers from a Sunday roast, which makes this classic British pie a genuinely reliable and timeless choice whenever you want something that never really goes out of fashion.

Why This Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie is a Must Try

Honestly, this pie is a must try for anyone who loves a proper creamy filling — the silky sauce underneath comes together from little more than cupboard ingredients you probably already have, no special trip to the shops required. On top, a golden crisp pastry sits over a blind baked base, which is the small trick that stops you ever ending up with soggy pastry no matter how saucy the filling gets. It’s also one of the best ways I know to use up leftover chicken or roast chicken, turning a Sunday leftover into something that tastes like it was planned all along.

There’s a reason this counts among classic British comfort food — it’s warm, properly filling, and endlessly cosy, which makes it perfect even for beginners thanks to its genuinely easy steps. I like to bake pies in batches, making two pies at once so I can save for later, and it’s a lovely thing to pull from the freezer on a chilly evening. Whether it’s the depths of winter or a surprisingly rainy summer evening, this is the sort of pie that suits all seasons without ever feeling out of place.

Perfect For

This pie earns its keep on quiet weekend dinners, but it’s just as at home for bigger family dinners or Sunday lunches when you want something that feels properly put-together without much last-minute effort. It’s brilliant for using leftover roast chicken, turning leftover chicken or roast chicken into a whole new meal, and works beautifully for batch cooking during busy weeks since it stores well and reheats nicely without losing any of its character.

On cold evenings or rainy evenings, when the gloomy weather calls for something warming, this is exactly the kind of creamy filling and golden pastry combination that hits the spot. It’s a lovely dish for sharing with friends or neighbours, making a proper homemade meal feel effortless, and it works just as well for simple midweek suppers straight from the oven with a side of vegetables, or veg, chips, mashed potatoes, or peas. A warm slice of this pie is about as cosy and stress-free a dinner as you’ll find.

Ingredients

Essential Ingredients to Make Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie

Result: Creamy filling, savoury filling, golden puff pastry topping.

Handy Kitchen Tools for Best Results

You don’t need anything fancy for this one — a large saucepan or saucepan for building the sauce, and a wooden spoon for stirring, are really the backbone of the whole process. You’ll also want a proper pie dish, ideally a medium pie dish, along with a sharp knife for chopping your chicken and ham into even pieces.

A pastry brush makes quick work of the egg wash, giving you that glossy finish once it’s baked. Beyond that, it’s really just standard mixing, pastry preparation, baking, and general cooking — the kind of kitchen tools most people already have tucked away in a drawer.

How to Make Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie

Here’s the step-by-step guide I follow every time: start by getting the oven ready, so prepare oven by preheat oven to 200°C, or 180°C fan, sometimes labelled 200°C fan, or 220°C conventional if you’re not using a fan setting, which works out to roughly Gas Mark 7. With the oven heating and a shelf positioned on the middle shelf, take your pie dish or medium pie dish, rub it with butter for greasing, then line it to build your pastry case using shortcrust pastry or puff pastry, laying the pastry sheet or ready-rolled pastry in and press gently into the corners and sides. Trim edges, leaving about a 1cm overhang to allow for any pastry shrink, then prick base all over with a fork, cover with baking parchment, scrunch it slightly, fill with baking beans, and blind bake for about 10 minutes.

While that’s in the oven, take a large saucepan or saucepan and set it over medium heat to melt butter, adding a touch of vegetable oil or olive oil. Add your chopped onion, finely chopped onion, along with leeks, and let them soften onion, cook gently until they’re softened, translucent, and just lightly coloured. Now make roux, building your roux base by stirring in plain flour to the onion mixture, and stir well to cook briefly for about 1 minute — this step gets rid of any raw flour taste, so don’t rush it. From here, add flour, then add liquid, gradually add the chicken stock, ideally a strong chicken stock or plain stock, followed by milk or whole milk, and double cream or cream, using a whisk and stirring continuously until you’ve got a smooth sauce, properly lump-free sauce. Let it bubble gently until it thickens into a rich, creamy consistency, then stir through Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard, or grainy mustard, a splash of lemon juice, dried thyme or fresh thyme, parsley or fresh parsley, and a handful of grated Parmesan or Parmesan cheese.

Fold in your cooked chicken, whether chicken breasts or chicken thighs, along with cooked ham or smoky ham, and mushrooms or button mushrooms if you’re using them, so you can fold filling until it’s evenly coated and properly combined. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly, which helps prevent soggy pastry later on. Once it’s ready, spoon filling into your blind-baked base and spread evenly, then assemble pie by rolling out a pastry lid, or second sheet, to top with pastry. Trim excess pastry, crimp edges to seal edges properly, then brush over with beaten egg for the egg wash, glaze, using your pastry brush for a glossy finish and golden finish. If you fancy a decorative touch, cut a few pastry leaves or decorative shapes from any spare pastry, then add a small slit or a couple of slits in the centre so steam can escape while it bakes. Pop it in to bake until golden, usually around 20–25 minutes for the sauce to settle or 30–35 minutes for a deep golden brown, crisp pastry with a nicely risen pastry top. Let it rest for 5 minutes to 10 minutes before serving, since this short pause helps the filling sets rather than running everywhere the moment you slice into it, though it should still be lovely and extra saucy underneath — serve with vegetables, mashed potatoes, and a splash of gravy on the side.

The Secret Behind This Bake

Every good pie has a secret, and it lives in how you bake the base. Skipping blind baking is the biggest reason home cooks end up with a soggy centre, so getting that blind baked base right — firm, dry, and ready to hold the filling — is what separates an average pastry base from one that stays crisp pastry and flaky pastry all the way to the last slice. I picked this trick up years ago watching a French-trained baker work, and it’s really just a French-inspired technique borrowed for a very British classic: pre-cook the shell until it turns golden pastry, then let the filling do the rest.

The filling is where the magic happens. A creamy filling built from a creamy sauce reduced to a smooth sauce and finished as a silky sauce gives you the kind of rich filling and savoury filling balance that makes people go back for seconds. I like using roast chicken or leftover chicken — even plain cooked chicken works — alongside smoky ham or cooked ham, folded through with Parmesan, a spoon of Dijon mustard, a touch of wholegrain mustard, a squeeze of lemon juice, fresh thyme and parsley for flavour, keeping the balanced flavours and richness honest against the hearty texture of juicy chicken. Add mushrooms and other vegetables if you like, then bake until the bubbling filling peeks through the edges — that’s the kind of dependable results that make this homemade pie true British comfort food.

Tips

A few recipe tips turn this from a fiddly bake into a perfect pie every time, and most of them come down to timing. Always blind bake the pastry base properly, because a soggy bottom or soggy pastry almost always means this step was rushed. Keep hot filling out of a raw case and let cool filling go in only once the shell is ready, and if you’re organising a busy week, you can do the filling in advance — prepare ahead, make ahead, and assemble before baking the next day for the best results. Bake on the middle shelf of a fully preheated oven, ideally on a preheated tray, so the base cooks evenly and you get a proper golden crust and golden topping. Brush with a beaten egg for an even egg wash, taking care to glaze evenly right up to the edges, and always cut a few steam holes or vent pastry so steam escape doesn’t leave you with a soggy lid.

For the filling itself, leftover chicken or leftover roast chicken, plain cooked chicken, or freshly moist chicken from a roast chicken all work well. Build a creamy sauce that’s slightly loose sauce rather than a thick sauce, since it naturally thickens after baking — just make sure you cook flour fully when making the roux, stir continuously, and you’ll avoid a lump-free sauce going lumpy. Season gradually, remembering that ham adds salt on its own, and use freshly grated Parmesan rather than pre-packed cheese for a cleaner finish. A soft onion, gently browned onion, gives a smoother flavour, and if you measure wine rather than guessing, you’ll avoid a boozy sauce. Watch for underbaked or overbaked results — chicken dry and pale pastry are signs to adjust — and aim for better colour and a crisp base, plus crisp pastry on top. Let the pie rest before slicing so the filling settles instead of causing a spill, don’t overfill the dish, mind the texture, and know it reheats gently and is genuinely freezer friendly — handy for batch cooking. It’s a forgiving recipe for beginners, with easy steps that work in all seasons.

Making It Yours / Ingredient Substitutions / Creative Ways to Customize

Making it yours is half the fun once you know the base recipe works. There are plenty of ingredient substitutions and creative ways to customize this pie, starting with a simple cheese swap — swap the Parmesan for mature Cheddar, Gruyère, Reblochon, Brie, or even Camembert for something richer. Swap the meat too: turkey instead of chicken, especially good with leftover turkey, or try smoked ham or thick-cut ham and cooked ham for a heartier bite. Spring onions or leeks make a lighter option than a full onion base, and a mushroom addition brings welcome earthiness, while spinach, peas, or roasted red peppers add colour and extra vegetables without much effort.

A quick herb variation — swap thyme for tarragon, or add extra parsley — shifts the whole flavour profile, and a mustard swap between wholegrain mustard and Dijon mustard changes the texture and richness just enough to feel new. If you’re using cheddar or another cheese, either shortcrust pastry or puff pastry works, and baking as individual pies gives neat portions for a dinner party. For dietary needs, this adapts well to dairy-free and gluten-free versions — Oatly cream, DF Camembert, and a naturally GF pastry all do the job — and swapping in less watery vegetables like courgette keeps the filling from thinning out, while a touch more sweetness and a gooier cheese or riper cheese rounds everything off nicely.

Serving Suggestions / Pairing Ideas

When it comes to serving suggestions and pairing ideas, keep it simple: this pie wants to serve as the centrepiece of a proper family meal. Buttery mashed potatoes or creamy mashed potatoes — really, any good mashed potatoes or mash — soak up the sauce beautifully, and a side of steamed green beans or green beans, or buttered peas (try buttered peas specifically), adds freshness. Carrots, whether plain or roasted carrots, along with roasted parsnips or parsnips, cabbage, or broccoli all work as the extra vegetables or veg on the plate, and even chips aren’t out of place for a more relaxed night.

For something lighter alongside, crusty bread and a simple green salad — a crisp green salad or light green salad tossed with lemon dressing — cuts through the richness of the sauce nicely, and a carrot mash brings its own natural sweetness and freshness to the plate. To drink, a dry white wine is the classic match; pour a glass of wine and turn it into a proper relaxed dinner or weekend dinner. However you pair it, this is a dish made to enjoy slowly.

Storage / Leftover & Reheat / Reheat

Good storage habits keep leftovers — or a single leftover slice — tasting just as good the next day. Never leave the pie at room temperature for long; keep covered, let it cool completely or at least cool first, then transfer to an airtight container, back into the pie dish, or wrap in foil or cling film before it goes into the refrigerator or fridge. As a rule, refrigerate for up to 2 hours before chilling isn’t safe, but once properly cooled it keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge, or up to 2 months to up to 3 months if you freeze it.

Freezing is genuinely simple: you can freeze baked pie, freeze unbaked pie, or even freeze slices individually, so the freezer always has something ready. Just wrap well to avoid freezer burn, then thaw overnight in the fridge once chilled, never straight from frozen. To reheat, use the oven at around 180°C — a moderate temperature gets it hot throughout — and reheat gently or reheat thoroughly rather than blasting it in the microwave, which tends to leave crisp pastry gone soft. The goal is to soften pastry as little as possible for the best texture, so store away from strong smells, since pastry absorbs odours more than you’d expect.

Nutrition / Nutritional Breakdown

Here’s a rough nutrition and nutritional breakdown per serving, useful if you’re keeping an eye on what you eat. Expect around 520 kcal, which counts as moderate calories for a filling dinner, with roughly 35g of carbohydrates, 28g of protein (some versions run closer to 32g, making it a genuinely high protein meal), and about 28g to 30g of fat, including saturated fat in the 14g to 15g range. Sodium sits around 780mg, largely from the ham and cheese.

These figures also account for calcium from the milk and cream used in the sauce, plus the flour in both the pastry and the roux. Naturally, the chicken and ham contribute most of the protein and fat. These are approximate values only, and they’ll shift depending on the exact ingredients used, so treat them as a helpful guide rather than an exact science.

Mistakes To Avoid

There are a few common mistakes worth learning to avoid. Top of the list is skipping blind baking altogether — blind baking exists for a reason, and without it you’ll almost certainly get a soggy base, soggy pastry, soft pastry, or wet pastry. Pouring in hot filling or watery filling, especially with watery chicken, adds excess moisture that the base can’t handle, and a thin sauce or runny sauce — often from adding stock too quickly — leads to lumps or a lumpy sauce that never quite smooths out.

Watch your timing too: both underbaked and overbaked pies disappoint, one leaving things raw and the other giving you dry pastry, hard pastry, and dry chicken. Cutting pie too early with no resting means the filling settles badly and you risk sealing edges that haven’t set, so the sauce bubbles out, causing spills and a mess. Always cut proper steam holes and bake on a preheated tray to keep everything under control.

Healthier Version

For a healthier version, small swaps make a real difference without losing the comfort factor. Try reduced cream or simply use more milk and less cream in the sauce, and bulk up the filling with extra vegetables like peas or spinach instead of relying purely on chicken and ham. A thinner pastry topping cuts down on the heaviest part of the dish, giving you a genuinely lower fat result.

Beyond that, aim for a more balanced meal overall by pairing the pie with vegetables rather than heavy sides, and consider smaller portions if you’re watching intake — it’s still satisfying as a lighter option, just easier on the day.

Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie Recipe (FAQs)

How do I stop my chicken and ham pie from becoming watery?
A watery pie is usually caused by a sauce that hasn’t thickened enough. Make a proper roux, allow the sauce to simmer until it becomes thick and creamy, and let the filling cool slightly before adding the pastry.

Should the chicken be cooked before adding it to the pie?
Yes. Always use fully cooked chicken before assembling the pie. Chicken breast, chicken thighs, leftover chicken, or leftover roast chicken all work well. Using cooked meat helps maintain an even texture and prevents excess liquid from being released during baking.

Can I use different types of ham?
Absolutely. Cooked ham, smoked ham, sandwich ham, or thick-cut ham are all suitable choices. Smoked ham gives a stronger flavour, while thick-cut ham provides a heartier texture.

Which pastry is best for chicken and ham pie?
Both puff pastry and shortcrust pastry work well. Puff pastry creates a light, flaky topping, while shortcrust pastry gives a firmer, more traditional pie base.

Can I add vegetables to the filling?
Yes. Mushrooms, fried mushrooms, leeks, peas, and spinach are excellent additions. If using vegetables with a high water content, cook them first to prevent the filling from becoming watery.

Can I make individual chicken and ham pies?
Yes. Divide the filling between smaller pie dishes and reduce the baking time slightly. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, crisp, and the filling is heated through.

How do I prevent soggy pastry?
Blind bake the pastry base whenever possible, use a preheated baking tray, cut a small vent in the pastry to allow steam to escape, and avoid adding hot filling directly onto the pastry.

Can I make this pie ahead of time?
Yes. Prepare the filling up to one day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Keep the pastry separate, then assemble and bake the pie just before serving for the best texture.

Can I freeze chicken and ham pie?
Yes. The pie can be frozen before or after baking. Store it in the freezer, thaw it overnight in the fridge, and reheat until piping hot before serving.

Is this recipe suitable for batch cooking?
Yes. It works perfectly for batch cooking. You can make one large pie or several smaller pies, and even double the filling to save time for future meals.

What can I use instead of Parmesan cheese?
Mature Cheddar and Gruyère are excellent alternatives to Parmesan. Both provide a rich, savoury flavour while melting beautifully into the creamy filling.

Wrapping It Up

Wrapping it up, this Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie earns its place as a genuinely comforting recipe and dependable recipe, the kind of classic British comfort food that never really goes out of fashion. Between the creamy filling, creamy sauce, and that contrast of crisp pastry, flaky pastry, and golden pastry on top, it delivers familiar flavours and balanced flavours in every bite.

It’s the sort of dish built for family meals and family dinners, whether that’s Sunday lunches or bigger weekend gatherings — a proper homemade meal with real warmth and reliability behind it. Simple to make, easy to share, and satisfying enough to count as a hearty dinner or a genuinely satisfying meal any night of the week.

Try More Recipes

Mary Berry Chicken Stroganoff Recipe 

Mary Berry Chicken Chasseur Recipe 

Mary Berry Chicken Tartiflette Recipe 

Mary Berry Malaysian Chicken Curry Recipe 

Saim Thour

Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie Recipe

This Mary Berry Chicken and Ham Pie is a classic British comfort food featuring tender chicken, smoky ham, and leeks in a rich, creamy sauce, all baked beneath a golden flaky puff pastry crust. It's perfect for family dinners, Sunday lunches, or make-ahead meals.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 People

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: british

Calories: 520

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Filling

• 600 g cooked chicken breasts or chicken thighs diced
• 200 g cooked ham diced
• 2 medium leeks sliced
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 50 g plain flour
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 150 ml whole milk
• 100 ml double cream
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Pastry

• 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 beaten egg for glazing

Equipment

• Large Saucepan
• Wooden Spoon
• Sharp Knife
• Chopping Board
• Pie dish (20–23 cm)
• Pastry Brush
• Rolling pin (if needed)
• Baking Tray
• Oven

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan).
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently cook the sliced leeks until softened.
3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute to make a roux.
4. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock followed by the milk until smooth and thickened.
5. Stir in the double cream, Dijon mustard, parsley, salt, and black pepper.
6. Fold in the diced chicken and ham, then remove from the heat and allow the filling to cool slightly.
7. Spoon the filling into a greased pie dish.
8. Cover with the puff pastry, trim the edges, seal well, and brush with beaten egg.
9. Cut a small vent in the centre of the pastry.
10. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is puffed, crisp, and deep golden brown.
11. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Leftover roast chicken works perfectly.
• Cool the filling before adding the pastry to prevent a soggy base.
• Puff pastry gives the flakiest finish, while shortcrust pastry creates a firmer pie.
• Mushrooms, peas, or spinach can be added to the filling.
• Blind baking is optional but helps create an extra crisp base.