Chicken, bacon and leek cottage pie recipe

Name: Chicken, bacon and leek cottage pie
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 500g chicken thigh fillets, chopped into bite-sized chunks; 100g lardons; 2 leeks, sliced; 1 tbsp plain flour; 250ml chicken stock; 2 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche or double cream; 1 x 800g pack fresh mash; handful fresh parsley, chopped; 50g Cheddar, grated, plus extra to sprinkle on top

Created by The Tesco Recipes team

For a quick and easy family dinner, try this hearty cottage pie packed with succulent chicken and crispy bacon lardons and topped with golden potatoes and rich Cheddar. Full of flavour and simple to make, it's the perfect midweek meal.

See method

Serves 4
617 calories / serving

Freezable

Shop your ingredients

Tesco Olive Oil 250Ml
1 tbsp olive oil
£3.10
£12.40/litre
Tesco British Chicken Thigh Fillets 600G
500g chicken thigh fillets, chopped into bite-sized chunks
£5.75
£9.58/kg
Tesco Smoked Bacon Lardons 200G
Aldi Price Match
100g lardons
£1.69
£8.45/kg
Tesco Sliced Leeks 200g
2 leeks, sliced
£1.00
£5.00/kg
Stockwell & Co. Plain Flour 1.5Kg
Aldi Price Match
1 tbsp plain flour
£0.70
£0.47/kg
Tesco Finest Chicken Stock 450Ml
250ml chicken stock
£2.60
£5.78/litre
Tesco British Double Cream 150Ml
2 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche or double cream
£1.10
£7.33/litre
Tesco Fresh Mashed Potato 800G
Any 3 for 2 Clubcard Price - Cheapest Product Free - Selected Prepared Sides
Offer valid for delivery from 20/06/2026 until 10/12/2026
1 x 800g pack fresh mash
£1.75
£2.19/kg
Tesco Fresh Cut Flat Leaf Parsley 30G
Aldi Price Match
handful fresh parsley, chopped
£0.50
£16.67/kg
Creamfields Mature Grated Cheddar 250g
Aldi Price Match
50g Cheddar, grated, plus extra to sprinkle on top
£1.89
£7.56/kg

Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole. Add the chicken and lardons and cook until golden. Add the leeks and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Scatter over the flour and stir until absorbed.
Gradually pour in the stock then cook for 5 mins, or until the chicken is cooked through with no pink meat showing and the sauce has thickened. Preheat the grill to its highest setting. Stir the crème fraîche or cream into the chicken mixture and season well. Carefully pour the mixture into a large baking dish.
Heat the mashed potato following the pack instructions, then stir in the parsley and cheese. Spoon it evenly over the chicken mixture, then top with a little extra cheese. Grill until the topping is golden and crisp. Serve.

See more Midweek meals

Freezing and defrosting guidelines
Cook as instructed and allow to cool completely. Then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, seal freeze for up to 1-3 months. To serve, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before reheating. To reheat and serve, place on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the dish is heated through.