The only thing better than a delicious roast dinner is the leftovers, especially when you make them into a delightfully moreish leftover roast chicken pie like this one.
Topped with filo pastry to give it a perfect crunchy texture, this pie is as tasty as it is beautiful. And it’s seriously easy too!
Why You’ll Love This
- It uses up leftovers and makes them feel brand new.
- The crunchy filo topping means no faffing with pastry rolling.
- Lighter than a traditional pie, but still creamy and comforting.
- Cooks in around 45 mins – perfect midweek.
Using leftover roast chicken
This recipe uses leftover roast chicken (ideally from my one pan Mediterranean roast chicken and vegetables recipe, made with the best brined chicken! Though you can use any leftover roast chicken, of course) and the flavour from that roasting brings an extra level to this pie.
If you don’t have any leftover roast chicken, you can still make it! Just use a couple of chicken breasts instead. Season them well (you could dust them with smoked paprika, oregano or garlic powder – or all three!), drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven at 180 degrees for 25 minutes, before cutting into chunks and continuing with the rest of this recipe.
Filo pastry on a pie
Filo pastry is often overlooked as a pie topping, in favour of the more traditional puff or shortcrust pastry. But it’s so tasty and it also looks sensational- so you can get away with serving this extremely easy pie to guests!
If you don’t have filo pastry to hand, that’s ok – switch it out for a sheet of puff or shortcrust pastry and bake until golden. You just won’t have that amazing crunch!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Leftover roast chicken – roughly shredded. If you’ve not got any, poach or roast some chicken breasts.
- Leek – adds a gentle sweetness. Slice it thinly and rinse well (they hide grit).
- Mushrooms – chestnut or button mushrooms hold their texture best.
- White wine – optional, but it lifts everything and helps loosen the sauce.
- Crème fraîche – gives you that creamy sauce without needing to make a roux.
- Filo pastry – shop-bought, because we’re not making life harder than it needs to be.
- Olive oil or melted butter – for brushing the pastry so it goes gorgeously crisp.
- Seasoning – salt, black pepper, maybe a little fresh thyme or tarragon if you fancy it.
How to Make It
Step 1 – Soften your veg
Warm a splash of olive oil in a frying pan or shallow casserole dish. Add your onion and leek, and cook gently until soft – about 8 minutes. You’re looking for sweet and translucent, not browned.
Step 2 – Add the mushrooms
Throw in your sliced mushrooms and cook for another 5–7 minutes until they’ve softened and released some of their liquid.
Step 3 – Deglaze with wine (optional)
Pour in the white wine if you’re using it, and let it bubble until reduced by about half. This adds brightness and helps lift all those tasty bits stuck to the pan.
Step 4 – Make it saucy
Add your water, then stir through the crème fraîche until you’ve got a light, creamy sauce. If it’s looking a bit thick, a splash more water will loosen it; too thin, just simmer for a few minutes to reduce.
Step 5 – Add the chicken
Stir in the shredded chicken and a good pinch of salt and pepper. The aim is to warm the chicken through and coat everything in that creamy sauce.
Step 6 – Into the dish
Tip the filling into a baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
Step 7 – The filo topping
Brush a sheet of filo pastry with olive oil (or melted butter) and fold like a fan. Lay over the filling. Repeat with another few sheets until the pie is covered – 3–4 is usually enough. Don’t worry about perfection; the scrunches make the texture.
Step 8 – Bake until golden
Bake in a hot oven (around 200°C / 180°C fan) for about 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is crisp, flaky and golden brown.
Tips for the Best Filo Pie
- Use hot filling. The steam from the warm sauce helps crisp the pastry.
- Layer lightly. Too many filo sheets can make it chewy rather than crisp.
- Brush between layers. A quick brush of oil or butter between each sheet keeps it from drying out.
- Don’t skip the seasoning. Chicken and cream need a little salt and pepper (or a squeeze of lemon at the end).
- If you’re using wine, let it cook off. It should add depth, not sharpness.
Variations
- No wine? Use a splash of stock with a squeeze of lemon instead.
- Make it veggie: Swap the chicken for cannellini beans or chickpeas, and use vegetable stock.
- Add greens: Stir in spinach or peas before topping with pastry.
- Use puff pastry: If that’s what you’ve got, just lay it on top and brush with milk or egg wash.
- Make it mini: Portion the filling into ramekins for individual pies.
What to Serve With It
This pie’s rich but not heavy, so it pairs beautifully with:
- Simple green salad, or a Greek salad would be delightful.
- Some stir fried kale.
- Mashed potatoes (let’s be real – this is the best side dish)
FAQs
Yes – make the filling, cool it, and store in the fridge. Add the pastry just before baking.
You can, but cook it in with the mushrooms before adding the water. Make sure it’s fully cooked before adding the crème fraîche.
Swap the crème fraîche for a plant-based alternative or a splash of coconut cream (though it will change the flavour slightly).
This leftover roast chicken, leek and mushroom filo pie is everything I love in a dinner – thrifty, comforting and just a bit fancy without trying too hard. It turns odds and ends from your fridge into something you’d happily serve to friends.
If you make it, I’d love to know how it goes – drop a comment or tag me on Instagram @harrietmaryyoung.
Leftover Roast Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Filo Pie
Ingredients
- 200 grams roast chicken shredded (see above for alternatives)
- 1 onion
- 1 leek
- 300 grams chestnut mushrooms
- 150 ml white wine
- 100 grams crème fraiche
- 4 large sheets filo pastry
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Chop the onion and slice the leek and mushrooms.
- Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the leek and onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Pour in the white wine and let it reduce for a minute. Now add the chicken, 200ml water and the crème fraiche. Season and cook for another 5 minutes until everything is warmed through.
- Pour the pie filling into a pie dish. Fold each piece of filo pastry in a concertina – like a fan – then place on top of the filling. You should be able to wrap the pastry around itself to cover the whole top of the pie.
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil evenly over the top of the pastry.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Keeps 2–3 days, covered. Reheat in a hot oven to re-crisp the pastry.
- Freezer: The filling freezes well (before adding pastry). Defrost, assemble, and bake fresh.
- Avoid microwaving: It makes the filo soggy — the oven is your friend here.
Looking for more ways to use your roast dinner leftovers? Why not try:
- Chicken: Chicken Nacho Salad, Chicken and Pea Risotto, Chicken and Lentil Soup, Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta, Chicken Stroganoff Pie
- Beef: Leftover Beef Cottage Pie, Warm Beef and Lentil Salad
- Ham: Leftover Ham Pie, Leek and Ham Pasta, Turkey and Ham Lasagne
- Lamb: Leftover Lamb Shepherds Pie
- Duck: Hoisin Duck Stir Fry, Duck Fried Rice
Your post on the filo pie was a delightful read, and trying out the recipe was even more rewarding. The combination of leek and mushroom with the flaky filo pastry created a comforting and flavorful dish that was a hit at my dinner table. It was a fantastic way to use up leftovers in a creative and delicious way. Thank you for sharing such a practical and tasty recipe.
So easy to make and a great way to use leftover roasted chicken. Not to mention it’s just stunning! Thanks for sharing!
Great idea! My friends loved it – thanks for sharing!
This is such a great way to use up leftover roast chicken. I loved the filo pastry in this, it was a nice change from puff pastry. The filling was so tasty too.
Absolutely! Leftover roast chicken pie is such a wonderful way to enjoy the deliciousness of a roast dinner all over again.
Love this Leftover Roast Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Filo Pie recipe, I always have chicken left over and this is a good way to make another recipe, I love how it turns out, so pretty and flavorful. Thanks for sharing 🙂
This recipe is like foodie art! I’ve got some leftover chicken in my fridge, and now I know just what to do with it. I can’t wait to transform my leftovers into something pretty and delicious.
I always have leftover chicken, so I was excited to make this filo pie. It turned out perfectly, not to mention beautiful!
So impressive looking and yet so simple to make! Love it!