009Chicken pie

Method

Epirote home style. Serve warm or at room temperature with a crisp green salad.

You will need

• Large stockpot
• Skillet
• Large mixing bowl
• Pastry brush
• 35 x 28 cm baking pan

1. Place the whole chicken in a large pot, cover with water, season with salt, and simmer until tender, roughly 40 minutes. 40 min Ready when: Meat pulls easily from the bone
2. Remove the chicken to cool, reserve 100 ml of broth, then shred all the meat, discarding skin and bones. 15 min
3. Warm 30 ml of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. 10 min Ready when: Onions are softened and sweet without browning
4. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, softened onions, uncooked rice, crumbled feta, beaten eggs, chopped parsley, reserved broth, and plenty of black pepper. 5 min Ready when: Evenly incorporated filling
5. Preheat a conventional oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly brush a 35 x 28 cm baking tray with olive oil. 5 min · 180°C / 350°F
6. Lay half the filo sheets into the tray, brushing each individual sheet with olive oil and letting the edges overhang. 10 min Ready when: Bottom crust evenly layered
7. Spread the chicken filling evenly across the pastry, fold in the overhanging edges, and top with the remaining filo sheets, brushing each sheet with olive oil. 10 min
8. Score the top layers of filo into squares with a sharp knife and flick a few drops of water over the surface. 2 min Ready when: Top sheets neatly scored without cutting through the base
9. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes until deep golden and crisp, then rest 15 minutes before slicing. 55 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: Pastry is deep golden brown and completely crisp underneath

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Make ahead and storing

The chicken can be poached and shredded a day in advance.

Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in an oven to restore crispness.

Substitutions

• kefalograviera or graviera for feta cheese. Gives a firmer, sweeter cheese note common in Macedonian versions.

Common mistakes

• Adding wet filling directly from boiling without cooling.. Hot filling will steam and melt the delicate raw filo sheets instantly, leading to a soggy bottom.
• Skipping the rice or starch in the filling.. The uncooked grains absorb residual moisture from the chicken and onions during baking, preventing sogginess.

Regional variants

• Kotopita with leeks and yellow cheese (common in Macedonia)
• Kotopita with thin homemade phyllo roll-ups (strifti style in Epirus)

About the dish

Kotopita belongs to the rich pastry heritage of northern Greece, especially Epirus, renowned for its layered savoury pies. While wild greens and cheeses formed the daily subsistence fillings, chicken pie was historically prepared when a bird was culled, often for festive family tables. The filling traditionally combines poached shredded chicken with softened onions, a light egg-and-dairy liaison or crumbled feta, and fresh herbs, enclosed in crisp layers of filo pastry brushed with olive oil.

Found in Epirus, Macedonia, Thessaly. Cooked for everyday, sunday lunch.

Cousins elsewhere

• Byrek me pulë (Albanian). A layered pastry pie filled with chicken and aromatics, common in the southern Balkans.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

766 kcal · protein 40.1 g · fat 48.7 g (saturated 14.2 g) · carbohydrate 39.6 g (sugars 4.2 g) · fibre 2.2 g · sodium 724 mg

An estimate (summed from ingredient estimates) that varies with the exact ingredients. It is not dietary advice.

Written fresh by Epikouria editors from general culinary tradition. Recipe by the Epikouria editors. Following northern Greek continental pie traditions using poached chicken, onions, and raw rice to absorb pan juices..

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