Chicken Pie Without Cream
A chicken pie without cream is a pie whose sauce is a veloute, a roux let down with stock and a little milk instead of cream. Finished with lemon zest and parsley, the sauce is silky but lighter, and the pie reheats without the sauce splitting.
By the chickenpie.net test kitchen · Published 10 August 2026
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
Ingredients
- 450g skinless chicken thighs, diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 30g butter
- 30g plain flour
- 300ml chicken stock
- 100ml semi skimmed milk
- Zest of half a lemon
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 320g ready rolled shortcrust pastry
- 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
Method
Heat the oil in a wide pan and cook the onion and leek for 6 minutes until soft, then add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes.
Add the butter, let it melt, then stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly, then the milk, and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon.
Stir in the lemon zest and parsley, season well, then transfer to a 1.2 litre pie dish and cool for 10 minutes.
Top with the shortcrust, trim and crimp the edge, cut a steam vent, and brush with beaten egg.
Bake at 190C (375F) for 30 minutes until golden, then rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Worth knowing
- The lemon zest is doing the work cream normally does, do not leave it out.
- Simmer the sauce a full 5 minutes so the flour cooks out, or it will taste pasty.
Common questions
Can I make this completely dairy free?
Yes. Use olive oil or a dairy free spread instead of butter, replace the milk with 100ml extra stock or unsweetened oat milk, and check your pastry, many ready rolled shortcrusts are already dairy free.
Will the sauce taste thin without cream?
No, the roux gives it body and the lemon and parsley give it lift. If you want more richness without cream, stir a teaspoon of butter into the finished sauce off the heat.
Why is my sauce lumpy?
The stock went in too fast. Add it a splash at a time, stirring each addition until smooth before the next. If lumps have formed, whisk hard or pass the sauce through a sieve before adding the chicken.