This Potato Topped Chicken And Bacon Pie is the ultimate comfort food. Creamy, savoury, and topped with crispy mashed potato, this hearty dish is a family favourite. Best of all it’s dairy free and can be easily adapted to be gluten-free too!
The summer heat seems like it is now behind us. When the nights draw in and the temperature drops, cravings for warm, comforting food rise. This potato topped chicken and bacon pie is perfect for an autumnal, succulent family meal.
Tender pieces of chicken, crispy bacon, and a mixture of vegetables are all encased in a rich, creamy sauce. (Which is dairy free by the way! - although I do give options to make it with standard dairy products too)
What sets this pie apart is the generous layer of golden-brown crispy mashed potatoes on top! ( Like in my dairy free fish pie too! If you prefer a puff pastry topped pie try this vegetable curry pie)
Served hot from the oven, this pie is a warm and hearty dish that that the whole family can enjoy together.
This dinner is a winner in my house and I hope you will love it just as much.
If you are looking for some more dinner inspiration, why not check out my Dairy Free Lamb & Sweet Potato Hotpot, Sausage Plait or Creamy Mango Chicken Curry!
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🥘 Ingredients Needed & Substitutions
✋ Be sure to double check all packaging for allergens. ✋
Now, there is quite a list of ingredients needed to make this dish…. but please don’t let that put you off.
It is actually pretty simple to make, most of them you will have in your cupboard anyway and trust me, that extra bit of prep time will be so worth it!
- Chicken - I have used chicken breasts in this recipe as that is what I had in the fridge, but skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets would also work really well. If the thigh fillets are quite small, I would throw in an extra one and use 5 for this recipe.
- Potatoes - Yukon Gold potatoes are fab for the mash as the texture of the flesh is deliciously creamy, meaning you don’t have to add a butter alternative. If you can get hold of these, they are my first choice! Failing that a good Maris Piper or Russet potato are great alternatives.
- Bacon - Smoked bacon will give you a stronger flavour. If you prefer a milder flavour, use unsmoked bacon.
- Carrots & Mushrooms - I have used these as I know both of my children will eat carrots and I can easily disguise the mushrooms if I chop them small enough! Peas also work really well.
- Onion and garlic
- Butter and Plain Flour -. Use dairy-free spread for the recipe to be dairy-free.I have used Pure spread for this recipe. You can also use gluten-free flour. If you are not following a dairy-free or gluten-free diet you can use standard butter and flour.
- Chicken stock - I have used the Knorr chicken stock pots as they are gluten-free. In fact, they are free from the top 14 allergens. ( Always double check the packaging)
- Dried thyme.
- Mustard - This can be left out if you are allergic.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
⚡ Variations
- Swap the mushrooms for leeks - add 2 chopped leeks to the pan at the same time you would the mushrooms.
- Add a mugful of peas for an extra veg kick!
- Swap the potato for sweet potato or why not make this carrot and swede mash instead for a healthier topping?
✏️ How To Make Potato Topped Chicken And Bacon Pie
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: Start by heating the oil in a frying pan until it's nice and hot. Then, add in the chicken and let it sizzle away until it's got that lovely light brown colour. Once it's browned all over, take it out of the pan and set it aside.
Step 2: Whilst the chicken is browning, it's time to boil the potatoes. Get them boiling until they're tender enough to mash with ease, this should take around 15 minutes or so.
When they're ready, drain the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher. To make them extra creamy, pour in a splash of dairy-free milk.
Step 3: Add the diced bacon to the same pan that the chicken was cooked in and fry until it's nice and crispy, stirring regularly. Once it's crisp, turn down the heat and add the garlic, onion, carrots and mushrooms.
Feel free to mix things up with your choice of veggies; peas are a great addition too. Fry all together until soft.
Step 4: Time to make the sauce. Some pies will use double cream, however, as this recipe is dairy-free we are going to create a sauce with a roux and some chicken stock.
Add the butter to a separate small pan. Once it starts to sizzle, pour in the flour and whisk them together. Next, slowly pour in the stock, whisking all the while, until the sauce thickens up.
Then, it's time for a dash of mustard and a sprinkle of dried thyme, then give it a final stir until fully combined.
Step 5: Place the chicken back into the frying pan with the bacon, then pour over the sauce and mix everything together well. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Step 6: Transfer the pie filling into a casserole dish and spoon the mashed potato over the top of the mixture. Use a fork to make lines in the mashed potato, this will help the tips of the potato crisp up.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until crispy.
🤔 Can I Make Mini Individual Pies Instead Of One Large Pie?
Yes, you can create individual servings by using smaller ovenproof dishes or ramekins. You will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly, as the smaller dishes won’t take as long to cook. Bake them for 25-30 minutes.
💡 Top Tips
- Disguise The Veg: If you have picky eaters, it's really easy to hide the mushrooms in this pie. Simply chop them as finely as possible and they won’t even know they are there.
- Mix Up The Veggies: Don't hesitate to get creative with the vegetables. Aside from carrots, onions, and mushrooms, you can add peas, sweetcorn, or any other favourites.
- Choose the Right Potatoes: Use starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold for your mashed potato topping, as they will give you a smoother and creamier texture.
- Fork The Mash: Once you have topped the pie with the mash, use a fork to make lines in the potato. This creates texture and will give you those delicious, crispy bits of mashed potato.
- Freeze for Later: This dish freezes well. If you're making a larger batch, freeze individual portions for quick and convenient future meals.
- Enjoy Leftovers: This pie often tastes even better the next day as the flavours have had time to come together. It's a great make-ahead dish.
🍴Serving Suggestions
This chicken, bacon and potato pie is delicious served with roasted carrots & green beans, Brussels sprouts with bacon & garlic or any other green vegetable like broccoli or cabbage.
💬 Recipe FAQs
The pie will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Re-heat in the microwave until piping hot.
You can also freeze once the pie has been cooked. Freeze in portions in a tupperware dish or freezer bag. Defrost in the fridge for 8 hours, then re-heat in either the microwave or oven until piping hot throughout
Yes, brown the chicken first in a frying pan before combining it with the pie mixture and putting in the oven.
What should I do if the mashed potatoes on top start to brown too quickly in the oven?
If the mashed potatoes begin to brown too quickly, cover the pie with aluminium foil to prevent over-browning.
Can I use leftover roast chicken in this recipe?
Leftover roast chicken works brilliantly in this recipe. It can save time on the chicken-cooking step, simply add the chicken to the sauce and veg mixture before topping with the potato.
📖 More Comfort Food Ideas
If you like this recipe, you will LOVE these other warm and comforting dinners.
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Potato Topped Chicken and Bacon Pie
Ingredients
- 4 x chicken breasts
- 3 Rashers smoked bacon
- 1 Small onion diced into small squares
- 2 Cloves garlic crushed
- 100 Grams (3.5 oz) carrots sliced and quartered
- 100 Grams (3.5 oz) mushrooms sliced
- 1 Kg (2.2 lb) Potatoes Preferably Yukon Gold or Russet
- 50 Grams (1.7 oz) Dairy free spread e.g Flora Plant Butter
- 50 Grams (1.7 oz) plain flour can be substituted for gluten free flour
- 500 ml ( 2 cups) chicken stock pot e.g Knorr chicken stock pot
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard can be omitted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Splash Dairy free milk optional
- Black pepper to season
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees / gas mark 4.
- Chop the chicken breasts into chunks. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken on a medium heat for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Whilst the chicken is browning, peel and chop the potatoes into chunks. Boil the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 15-20 minutes until soft. Once cooked, drain and mash them. You can add a splash of dairy free milk to make them a little creamier.
- Next, chop and prepare your onion, garlic, carrots and mushrooms.
- Chop the bacon into small squares and add to the same pan the chicken was in. Fry for 3-4 minutes until nice and crispy. Once crisp, turn down the heat and and add the garlic, onion, carrots and mushrooms. Fry all together for 2-3 minutes until soft.
- In a separate pan, melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour and whisk together. Slowly add the stock, whisking all the time until the sauce has thickened. Add the mustard and dried thyme, then stir well.
- Put the chicken back into the frying pan with the bacon mixture, add the sauce and mix together.
- Transfer mixture into a casserole dish then top with the mash. Score the mash in a circle pattern with a fork.
- Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until crispy.
Ann Garland
Sounds really nice. Can I make in advance and freeze it?
Lauren Woodger
I suggest freezing the pie after it has been cooked, as the chicken finishes cooking in the oven. However, as long as you fully cook the chicken before adding to the rest of the ingredients, you could freeze the pie once it's fully assembled. Once it's fully defrosted, cook in the oven for 45 mins.
Hope that helps 🙂
Amy king
Delicious and easy, my son is fussy and ate it all.