Tesco Chicken, Ham Hock and Leek Puff Pastry Pie

Description: British chicken and ham hock in creamy sauce wrapped in a puff pastry lattice top

Cost: £2.49 for family sized pie.

Cooking: 40 minutes on number 6.

Verdict: First impressions? This is a nice deep fill looking pie. The blurb on the back of the packet talks about how they make their fresh pies using "master bakers" and really makes you work up an appetite ready to tuck into the pie. Ive had Tesco pies before and had mixed opinions of them, so im keen to see how this pie compares.

Verdict: As you know already, I'm not a big chicken pie fan, I do prefer the meaty steak, but I think the combination of chicken, ham and leek do work good together so im keen to see how things pie shapes up.

In the oven it goes and as per instructions, 40mins later its ready and waiting. I decided to push the boat out with this one and rather than have plain potatoes made some lovely home made chips. I hope this doesnt affect my verdict!

Cutting the pie open and the first thing I noticed was the filling. There was loads of it. Nice big chunks of chicken, just the perfect amount of creamy sauce. Upon eating you can really taste all the flavours. Perfect combination of ham, creamy leek and chicken all hitting your taste buds. Each flavour not being too over powering unlike one of the previous Tesco Chicken & Leek pies ive had.

The pastry was just the right amount too, not too little and not too stodgy. And the 1/3rd of the pie portion was just the right size.

All in all what a pleasant surprise, this is certainly one of the best pies ive had and certainly has just become one of my favourites. I will have to send Mrs Pieman out to buy some more!!!

Calorie count for this pie is 480 calories for a 1/3rd which is about the right size for an individual portion.

Would I buy it again? Definitely, easily the best chicken & leek pie ive had, and id rate this on a par with my "holy grail" of chicken pies, the Waitrose roast chicken pie.

Rating?  10 out of 10.