Chicken and Ham Raised Pie with Hot Water Crust
A raised pie is a freestanding British pie with a hot water crust, a sturdy pastry made by pouring boiling water and melted lard into flour. Filled with chicken and ham, baked, then filled with jellied stock as it cools, it is served cold in slices, picnic and pork pie style.
By the chickenpie.net test kitchen · Published 28 September 2026
- Prep
- 1 min
- Cook
- 1 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
Ingredients
- 450g plain flour
- 150g lard
- 200ml water
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 700g skinless boneless chicken thighs, roughly chopped
- 250g thick cut ham, diced
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 0.5 tsp ground white pepper
- 0.25 tsp ground mace
- 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
- 250ml good chicken stock
- 2 gelatine leaves
Method
Make the hot water crust by bringing the water and lard to a boil, then pouring it over the flour and salt and mixing to a warm dough. Rest for 10 minutes until cool enough to handle.
Mix the chicken, ham, thyme, white pepper, mace, and half a teaspoon of salt together for the filling.
Take two thirds of the warm dough and press it up the sides of a greased 18cm springform tin, working it evenly to about 5mm thick with no cracks.
Pack the filling in firmly, roll the remaining dough into a lid, seal it to the case with a firm pinch, cut a 1cm hole in the centre, and brush with beaten egg.
Bake at 200C (400F) for 30 minutes, then reduce to 180C (350F) for a further 70 to 75 minutes, until the pastry is deep brown and the centre of the filling reaches 74C (165F) on a probe.
Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes, warm the stock, squeeze the gelatine and dissolve it in the stock, then pour it slowly through the hole in the lid once the pie has cooled for 30 minutes.
Chill the pie overnight before releasing the tin and slicing.
Worth knowing
- Work the dough while it is warm, hot water crust becomes brittle and unworkable once cold.
- A probe thermometer through the lid hole is the only reliable test that the deep filling is done.
Common questions
Why add jellied stock after baking?
The meat filling shrinks during baking, leaving a gap under the lid. The warm gelatine stock fills that gap and sets when chilled, keeping the meat moist and helping slices hold together cleanly.
Can I use butter instead of lard?
You can, but the crust will be softer and less crisp. Lard gives hot water crust its characteristic sturdy, crumbly bite. A half butter, half lard mix is a reasonable compromise for flavour.
How long does a raised pie keep?
Once the jelly is set, the whole pie keeps for 4 days in the fridge. Serve it cold or at cool room temperature. Do not reheat it, the jelly melts and the slices collapse.