Kotopita — Greek Chicken Pie
Chicken and leek pie wrapped in phyllo — the Greek version of chicken pot pie. Cooked chicken bathed
in a béchamel-like sauce with plenty of herbs, encased in crisp buttered phyllo. A weekend pie, the
kind that leaves the kitchen smelling wonderful for hours.
FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (chicken, butter, milk, cheese, eggs)
SERVINGS: 8
TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kg chicken (thighs and breast, mixed), poached in salted water with bay leaves, cooled, and shredded. Reserve broth.
- 3 leeks, cleaned and finely sliced (white and light green parts)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 tablespoons butter (for filling)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 500 ml reserved chicken broth
- 200 ml whole milk
- 150 g feta, crumbled
- 50 g kefalotyri or Parmesan, grated
- 3 large eggs
- 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 (450 g) package phyllo, thawed
- 150 g butter, melted (for phyllo)
METHOD:
1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Sauté onion and leeks 10 minutes until very soft and sweet.
2. Sprinkle in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in broth, then milk. Simmer until thickened, 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in shredded chicken, both cheeses, dill, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
4. Beat eggs and stir into the cooled filling. Mix well.
5. Brush a 23×33 cm baking dish with butter. Layer 8 sheets of phyllo, buttering each.
6. Spread the filling evenly.
7. Top with 8 more phyllo sheets, buttering each.
8. Score the top. Brush with remaining butter.
9. Bake at 180C (350F) for 45-55 minutes until deeply golden.
10. Rest 15 minutes before cutting.
NOTES:
- The béchamel-like sauce must be thick enough to hold together. If too thin, the pie will be soggy.
- Poach the chicken rather than using leftover roast — poached chicken gives a tenderer, juicier pie.
- Leeks are traditional. Their sweetness balances the cheese. Do not substitute onions alone.
- An elegant pie for entertaining. Serve warm with a simple lemon-dressed salad.
NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 510 | Protein: 32 g | Carbohydrates: 32 g | Fat: 30 g | Fibre: 2 g