This is a gorgeous savory pie that’s filled with chicken, feta and parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, onions and garlic, and the best part is it’s nestled between a crunchy crust of phyllo dough.
I said it before and I’ll say it again, don’t be afraid to use phyllo, it’s so easy to use and so forgiving, even if you tear a piece no worries, no one would even know, trust me on that!
You’ll need some precooked chicken which you can either roast yourself or to save time you can even buy a rotisserie chicken. Good quality Greek feta and parmesan cheese is a must for exceptional flavor.
The crunchy crust against the creamy, savory filling is such a delicious match, it’s rustic and fancy all at the same time.
Serve this with a nice green salad and you’re good to go!
Don’t forget you can follow me on Instagram to see what else I’m cooking up during the week!
- 1 lb and ½ of precooked chicken meat, preferably white meat chopped or shredded
- 2 cups of chicken stock, boxed, low sodium, warmed
- 8 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup of grated parmesan
- ⅓ cup all purposed flour
- ¼ cup each of parsley and basil
- a few sprigs of thyme
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 or 4 green onions, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 eggs, slightly beaten
- 8 sheets of phyllo pastry
- olive oil
- Melt butter in a saucepan, add onions and garlic, stir until onions soften.
- Add flour and stir together for 1 minute then gradually pour in the warmed stock cooking over medium heat until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool down for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil a 10 inch springform pan.
- In a large bowl place all the chicken, the cooled down sauce, eggs, all the cheese and herbs. Mix together until well combined.
- Brush 1 sheet of phyllo with oil, line the pan then top with remaining sheets which have all been brushed with olive oil as well.
- Pour in the chicken filling then roll the edges of the pastry and tuck down the side of the pan.
- Bake pie for about i hour and 15 minutes. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes befor releasing the pan and serving.
I always keep a box of phyllo in my fridge because I know I can create a quick and easy tart using whatever vegetables I have on hand. In this case I had a bag of shaved brussels sprouts that I got from Trader Joe’s and some leftover roasted butternut squash and before I knew it, a tart was born!
Phyllo is so forgiving and that’s why I like it, you can wing it, patch it and it still looks beautiful in the end. I usually use five or six layers for my 9″ tart pan, each layer sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with grated romano or parmesan then topped with the cheese of your choice so that all the toppings can sink right into it. I like to use a cheese that melts really good like fontina, gruyere, mozzarella or asiago which happened to be the one I chose for mine. I recommend grating your cheese first then spreading it evenly all over the top, I got lazy as you can see, but it still worked!
My squash was already roasted and the brussels sprouts were quickly sauteed in olive oil until they wilted slightly.
Ready for the oven!
The phyllo gives this tart a nice crispy, crunchy bottom which is a great base to hold all your toppings. The sky’s the limit on what to top your tart with, another favorite I love is caramelized onions, butternut squash and kale, try that next time around!
All you need is a salad or a bowl of soup along side this tart and it becomes the perfect dinner, lunch or brunch.
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
