method:
1.  preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius. chop up the bacon into fairly small pieces, add into a large frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil and cook on a medium heat.

2. chop the leeks into slim-ish rounds, then chuck into the pan with a large knob of butter when the bacon has just started to colour. add in your thyme sprigs or bouquet garni, too. cook the leeks slowly, on a low heat for about 15 minutes or so. if you’ve got a bottle of white wine open, add a splash to help the leeks steam and soften.

3. whilst the leeks are softening, cut up the chicken breasts into bitesize pieces. toss them in as much plain flour as it takes to give the chicken an even floury coating.

4. when the leeks are cooked, take them out of the pan (and fish out the thyme stalks/bouquet garni) and put the chicken in instead. cook the chicken on a medium heat until just cooked through. return the leeks to the pan, and stir to combine with the chicken.

5. pour in some chicken stock, just enough to barely cover the leek and chicken mixture. simmer the mixture until it’s until reduced and thickened. you’re looking for the liquid to reduce down into a rich gravy, and needs to be not too runny or it’ll make your pastry soggy.

6. when the pie filling is nice and thick, stir in a big dollop of cream cheese or creme fraiche. taste to check the seasoning, transfer to your pie dish, and set aside.

7. roll out the pastry on a well floured surface until it’s about 3 or 4mm thick. trim it roughly to the shape of your pie dish, and then transfer it onto the top of your mixture. tuck the pastry around the filling, score it lightly, and make a tiny hole in the middle to let out steam.

8. brush the pie with a little beaten egg to glaze, and then put in your preheated oven. the pie will need to cook for about half an hour, or until puffed up and golden brown on top.