This recipe is adapted from one of our most-loved recipes in Toddler to Table. The original version comes together much more quickly on the stovetop, but I wanted to create a slow cooker version for those busy days when you want dinner to cook itself.
As part of my slow cooker series, I’m on a mission to prove that slow cooker meals don’t have to be bland, grey or watery. With just a few simple techniques, your slow cooker can produce rich, flavour-packed meals that taste like you’ve spent hours in the kitchen.
For this recipe, we start by browning the bacon, softening the leek and cooking the garlic, herbs and smoked paprika before slow cooking. While it adds an extra 10 minutes at the beginning, it creates a much deeper, more savoury flavour that carries through the entire dish. If your slow cooker has a Sauté or Brown function, you can do it all in the one pot. If not, simply use a frying pan before transferring everything to your slow cooker.
Another important tip is not to add too much liquid. Unlike cooking on the stovetop, very little evaporates during slow cooking. The chicken and vegetables release plenty of their own juices, so you only need enough broth to come roughly halfway up the chicken. This creates a rich, creamy filling rather than a thin, watery sauce. If you’re using bone-in chicken thighs, they’ll also add extra flavour and natural gelatin to the sauce.
Finished with peas, Dijon mustard and a spoonful of crème fraîche, this creamy filling is topped with flaky golden puff pastry for the ultimate comfort meal. Better yet, the filling can be made days in advance or frozen for up to 3 months, making this the perfect meal prep recipe. Simply thaw, top with fresh puff pastry and bake whenever you need an easy family dinner.
If you want to read more slow-cooking tips, including the slow-cooker I use, check out this blog.
Age Appropriate
8 months+
How to Serve to Baby
For babies under 12 months, serve the filling on its own without the puff pastry. It’s also delicious mashed through potato, pumpkin, sweet potato or rice.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with steamed green beans, broccoli or peas.
Pair with a simple garden salad for an easy family dinner.
Make individual pies for freezer-friendly meals or one large pie to share.
Storage
Fridge: Store the pie filling in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, spoon into a pie dish, top with puff pastry and bake until golden.
Freezer: Freeze the filling (without the pastry) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, transfer to a pie dish, top with fresh puff pastry and bake as directed.
Leftovers: Leftover baked pie can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven until warmed through and the pastry is crisp.
- 150 g shortcut bacon diced
- 1 leek white part only, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 3 sprigs thyme leaves
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 250 ml bone broth or chicken stock approximately, or enough to come halfway up the chicken
- 700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approximately 5 thighs)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 TBSP crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1 TBSP plain flour (or cassava flour or cornflour if gluten free)
- 2 TBSP water
- salt to taste
- 1 roll Careme Puff Pastry thawed (= 2 sheets puff pastry)
- 1 egg beaten
If your slow cooker has a Sauté or Brown function, use it for the first few steps. If not, complete them in a large frying pan before transferring everything to your slow cooker.
Cook the bacon until lightly golden.
Add the leek and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened. Stir through the garlic, thyme leaves and smoked paprika and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Deglaze with a splash of the bone broth, scraping up any browned bits from the base.
Add the remaining broth, chicken thighs and bay leaves. The liquid should come roughly halfway up the chicken, not completely cover it.
Cook on Low for 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and easily shreds.
Remove and discard the bay leaves, then shred the chicken directly into the sauce using two forks.
Stir through the Dijon mustard, frozen peas and crème fraîche.
If the filling isn't thick enough to hold its shape when spooned, whisk together the flour and water to make a smooth slurry, ensuring there are no lumps. Stir it into the slow cooker and cook on the Reduce setting (or High, if your slow cooker doesn't have a Reduce setting) for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Cooking the slurry is important so the flour cooks through and doesn't leave a raw, floury taste. If your slow cooker doesn't have a suitable setting for thickening sauces, transfer the filling to a saucepan over medium heat or an ovenproof dish in the oven until thickened, stirring occasionally.
Taste and season with salt as needed.Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced. Divide the filling between individual pie dishes or spoon into one large pie dish.Top with puff pastry, trimming to fit if needed, then brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.Allow to cool for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Ingredient Swaps
Chicken thighs → Bone-in chicken thighs (remove the bones before serving) or chicken breast. If using chicken breast, halve each breast and reduce the cooking time to around 2½–3 hours on Low.
Leek → 1 brown onion
Crème fraîche → Sour cream, thickened cream or Greek yoghurt (stir the yoghurt through after cooking to prevent splitting)
Frozen peas → Corn, chopped green beans or baby spinach
Bone broth → Chicken stock
Puff pastry → Mashed potato for a cottage pie-style topping
Dietary Swaps
Gluten free: Use cornflour or cassava flour for thickening and gluten-free puff pastry, or use a mashed potato topping,
Dairy free: Replace the crème fraîche with a dairy-free cooking cream or coconut cream, or simply omit it.
Egg free: Omit the egg wash and brush the pastry with a little milk (or dairy-free milk) or olive oil before baking for a beautifully golden finish.
