Skip to Content

Creamy Chicken and Leek Hotpot

Chicken hotpot with leeks in a creamy whole-grain mustard sauce made from a roux without cream and topped with a layer of crispy potatoes.

Cooking this dish takes around an hour and a half but you can do all of the preparation in advance and throw it in the oven to cook when you are ready.

Crispy potato topped oven baked creamy chicken and leek hotpot.

Potato Topped Creamy Chicken and Leek “Pie”

Us Brits definitely have a thing for a savoury “pie” and they are not all wrapped in pastry!

We of course have a rich vein of mashed topped pies like shepherd’s pie and cottage pie. Then unusual derivations like my sausage and mash pie and fish finger pie, you seriously need to try these!

Then we have a hotpot, in the UK this means a pie or stew topped with a scalloped potato lid.

The most famous of these is arguably the Lancashire hotpot, a wonderful lamb dish that I adore!

This creamy chicken and leek hotpot joins other similar ideas like my sausage hotpot, vegan mushroom hotpot and a spicy beef hotpot. The panacalty is a dish from the North East of England and in many ways it is so similar to a hotpot as to make no difference

Whilst being creamy, this hotpot uses no cream, and the base of the sauce is a roux, a deliciously creamy white sauce made from butter, flour and milk.

The filling gets flavoured by thyme and a little wholegrain mustard before being chucked in the oven until baked to perfection.

Overhead scalloped potato topped creamy chicken and leek hotpot with roasted tenderstem broccoli.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use a mandolin?

No, you can slice the potatoes by hand. Just take care to cut them evenly because they can cook unevenly if you don’t!

Do I have to use wholegrain mustard?

No, not at all, use any mustard that you have at home, however, wholegrain mustard tends to be on the mild side so you may want to reduce the quantity if you are using something more pokey.

Can I prepare this in advance?

Kind of yes. You can put together the filling for the hotpot up to 24 hours in advance, but I would not slice the potatoes until you are ready to cook.

Alternatively, you can bake this to completion and then cool and cover it with foil, it will last in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat just slide it into a low-medium oven (150°C or 300°F) until piping hot.

Can I use sweet potatoes to top this dish?

I got asked this question on social media and had to try it out. It was not to my taste personally because the creamy filling and sweet potato did not complement each other too well.

Overhead crispy potato-topped oven-baked creamy chicken and leek hotpot.

Serving Suggestions

This hearty, creamy chicken hotpot has most of what you need to fill yer belly and as a result, the only thing you need to add is some greens.

The pictures here show it served with roasted tenderstem broccoli, anything roasted in the oven is perfect because it is already hot, so why not use it?

Sticking with the same theme you could throw some roasted savoy cabbage on the side or even roasted miso Brussels sprouts.

I you are not leveraging the oven, consider dishes like buttered cabbage, green beans amandine or some Air Fryer asparagus.

Scalloped potato topped creamy chicken and leek hotpot with roasted tenderstem broccoli.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Oven.
  • Stovetop.
  • Grill or broiler (optional).
  • 30cm or 12″ nonstick frying pan.
  • 21cm x 16cm x 4.5cm or 8″ x 6″ x 2″ casserole dish.
  • Chopping board.
  • Kitchen knife.
  • Mandolin (optional).
  • Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
  • Stirring and swerving spoons.
Creamy Chicken and Leek Hotpot with a crispy scalloped potato topping.
Yield: 2 Servings

Creamy Chicken and Leek Hotpot Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

A British hot pot is a little like a pie with a scalloped potato topping, this chicken hotpot features a creamy mustard sauce made from a roux using no cream and lots of leeks.

Ingredients

  • 350g (12oz) Skinless and Boneless Chicken Thighs
  • 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
  • 350g (3 Cups) Leeks
  • 75g (3 Tbsp) Butter
  • 50g (¼ Cup + 1 Tbsp) Flour
  • 500ml (2 Cups) Milk
  • ¾ Tsp Salt
  • Generous Dash of White Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
  • 10g (⅔ Cup) Fresh Parsley
  • 500g (3-3½ Cups) Potatoes

Instructions

  1. Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan (nonstick if possible) over a medium-high heat and add the cooking oil.
  2. Season the chicken thighs with a little of the salt and then sear on both sides until golden, then remove and set aside. This will take 2-3 minutes on each side.
  3. Whilst the Chicken is cooking clean the leeks and cut them into 1cm (½") thick coins.
  4. Return the pan to the heat and add the leeks and soften them for 10 minutes stirring occasionally then remove to a bowl.
  5. Return the pan to a medium-low heat and melt 50g (3 Tbsp) of the butter.
  6. Add the flour and stir until the mix forms a paste, then add the milk little by little to form a lump-free white sauce.
  7. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the remaining salt, a generous sprinkle of white pepper, the thyme, wholegrain mustard and parsley. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
  8. Cut the chicken thighs into 1cm (½") thick strips and add them to the white sauce with the sauteed legs and mix it all together.
  9. Transfer to a 21cm x 16cm x 4.5cm or 8″ x 6″ x 2″ casserole dish (1 Litre).
  10. Cut the potatoes into 5-6mm (¼") thick slices, using a mandolin here really helps but watch your fingers.
  11. Add a layer of potatoes to the top of the hotpot and dot with the remaining butter, add a pinch of coarse sea salt and place in the oven and cook at 200°C or 400°F for 45 minutes.
  12. If you want a little extra crispiness on the potatoes slide the hotpot under the grill or broiler for 3-5 minutes at a high temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1137Total Fat: 58gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 315mgSodium: 1759mgCarbohydrates: 99gFiber: 9gSugar: 20gProtein: 62g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Lynn

Saturday 4th of November 2023

Can I make this chicken dish ahead of time

Brian Jones

Monday 13th of November 2023

Hi Lynn...

Yes you can make this in advance, I cover it in the frequently asked questions section on the page, it is good for 2-3 days :)

Brian

Ash

Saturday 14th of October 2023

Cooking this recipe now after searching specifically for a ‘creamy’ one

The roux makes a big difference I feel

It’s not done cooking yet but I had a little taste and it’s really good excited to sit and eat it

Will be adding this to my rotation

Brian Jones

Monday 23rd of October 2023

I love making a creamy sauce with a roux rather than cream, I tend to find that it has much more body, glad you have found another recipe to add to your list :)

Renee | The Good Hearted Woman

Monday 19th of November 2018

Well, this seems like quite the perfect comforty dish! Love the use of leeks - I don't use them enough in my cooking. This would be a wonderful meal to come home to at the end of the day.

Brian Jones

Thursday 22nd of November 2018

Thank you. I love using leeks at this time of year!

Cliona Keane

Monday 19th of November 2018

This looks absolutely gorgeous! I am totally loving the whole thing, particularly for this time of year!

Brian Jones

Thursday 22nd of November 2018

It certainly is a very seasonal dinner!

Kate

Monday 19th of November 2018

What a tasty looking hotpot! I love those scalloped potatoes on the top - they look so good.

Brian Jones

Thursday 22nd of November 2018

Thanks Kate

Skip to Recipe