Tue, 28 April 2026
Erica’s Greek Style - Chicken Filo Pie (Kotopita)
Takes 2 hours
Makes 4 - 6 portions
Ingredients:
· 1 Whole free-range Chicken
· 2 onions
· 6 cloves of garlic
· Sea salt and pepper
· 125g bacon lardons
· 1 leek, chopped
· 150g butter (50g for frying - 100g for brushing)
· 50g flour
· 300ml milk
· 2 eggs
· Pinch nutmeg
· Pinch of oregano
· 1 pack feta
· 1x 270g pack of filo
· Sesame seeds for garnish
· Salad to serve, also great with tzatziki
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 180C
2. Place the whole chicken in a large pot, cover fully with water, add one sliced onion, 4 whole cloves of garlic and lots of salt and pepper.
3. Bring this pot to the boil and let it cook for 40-50minutes depending on the size. If foam rises to the top, spoon it out.
4. Remove chicken from water/stock and set aside. This can be used for soup etc. While the chicken cools, make the sauce.
5. In a large sauce pot, fry the bacon lardons and leeks together, until bacon is cooked and leeks are softened.
6. Remove from the pot, do not clean, add the butter and then flour.
7. Whisk well before drizzling in the milk, this will make a thick creamy mixture, add some of that chicken water to loosen it a little and remove from the heat.
8. Whisk 2 eggs in a small bowl, add a little of the milk mixture and whisk.
9. Then mix it back in with the milk, season with some nutmeg & oregano and add in the leeks and bacon. Shred all the chicken up and add that in too. Mix well.
10. Now melt the remaining butter and brush it onto the base of a oven proof dish(lasagna dish or deep tray)
11. Layer a sheet of filo and then butter and another sheet of filo, do this 3 times before adding the mixture.
12. Spread out the mixture evenly and sprinkle with crumbled feta.
13. Then do the layering of filo on the top until the packet is empty. I like to scrunch up the filo for extra texture.
14. Generously butter the final layer and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
15. Place in the oven for 25-30minutes until bubbling edges and golden crispy top.
16. Serve ideally with a Greek salad and some tzatziki.
17. This dish can be made using lots of different veg and bits like spinach, sweetcorn, peppers, tomatoes etc. Also you can omit the bacon and swap the cheese for a different one.
