Slow Cooker Chicken Pie Filling with Oven-Baked Lid
A slow cooker chicken pie is a pie in two parts: a filling that cooks low and slow until the chicken falls apart, and a puff pastry lid baked separately in the oven. Pastry cannot crisp in a slow cooker's moist heat, so baking the lid on a tray gives the best of both.
By the chickenpie.net test kitchen · Published 24 September 2026
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 6 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
Ingredients
- 800g skinless boneless chicken thighs, halved
- 2 carrots, thickly sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 400ml chicken stock
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp cornflour mixed with 4 tbsp cold water
- 100ml double cream
- 320g ready rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
Method
Put the chicken, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, stock, thyme, and bay leaf in the slow cooker, season, and cook on low for 6 hours until the chicken shreds easily.
Shred the chicken roughly in the pot with two forks and discard the bay leaf.
Stir in the cornflour slurry and the cream, turn the slow cooker to high, and cook for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Meanwhile, unroll the puff pastry onto a lined baking tray, score a light diamond pattern, cut it into six squares, and brush with beaten egg.
Bake the pastry at 200C (400F) for 20 to 25 minutes until puffed, crisp, and deep golden.
Spoon the filling into bowls or a serving dish and top each portion with a pastry square.
Worth knowing
- Do not lift the slow cooker lid during cooking, each peek adds around 15 minutes.
- Bake the pastry just before serving, it loses crispness if it sits on the hot filling.
Common questions
Why can I not just put pastry on top in the slow cooker?
A slow cooker traps steam, so pastry turns pale and gummy instead of crisp. Baking the lid separately in a hot oven is the only way to get proper flaky pastry with a slow cooked filling.
Can I cook the filling on high instead?
Yes, cook on high for 3 to 3.5 hours instead of 6 on low, then thicken as directed. Thighs handle either setting well. Avoid breast meat for long cooks, it dries out.
Can I make the filling ahead?
Yes, it keeps for 3 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months. Reheat until piping hot on the hob or in the microwave, and bake the pastry fresh, it takes only 20 minutes.