Saffron Mosaic · Main dishes

Chicken & Almond Filo Pie

A savoury, cinnamon-scented chicken pie under crisp folded filo, with almonds, soft onion and a small touch of honey.

130 minutes · Medium · 4 pieces / portions

Also allow: Thaw frozen filo overnight in the refrigerator according to its package before starting the 130-minute recipe.

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Boneless skinless chicken thighs600 g
Onion2 whole
Garlic3 cloves
Fresh ginger15 g
Sliced almonds60 g
Phyllo pastry sheets (thawed if frozen)200 g
Butter50 g
Olive oil1 tbsp
Low-sodium chicken stock150 ml
Ground cinnamon0.75 tsp
Ground cumin1 tsp
Honey2 tsp
Parsley15 g
Salt0.75 tsp
Black pepper0.5 tsp

Keep this original batch size for consistent texture and setting.

Allergen notes

Wheat in filo; milk in butter; almonds. Check pastry and stock labels for other allergens.

Method

Prepare the filling ingredients

Thinly slice onions, mince garlic, grate ginger and chop parsley. Keep thawed filo sealed until assembly. Cut chicken into 4 cm pieces on a separate board. Wash hands, knife and board after handling raw poultry.

Cook chicken with aromatics

Heat oil in a deep lidded skillet over medium heat. Cook onions for 10 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, ginger, cinnamon and cumin for 1 minute. Add chicken, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 18–22 minutes, turning once, until every piece reaches 74°C (165°F) in the centre.

Dry and briefly cool the filling

Move chicken to a clean plate. Boil the onion mixture uncovered for 5–8 minutes until thick with no watery pool. Shred chicken with clean forks and return to the pan with honey, parsley and almonds. Spread in a shallow bowl for 15–20 minutes to stop steaming; assemble promptly, without leaving poultry at room temperature longer than 2 hours in total.

Line the pie dish

Heat oven to 190°C (375°F). Melt butter. Brush a 23 cm pie dish with a little of it. Lay approximately two-thirds of the filo sheets across the dish at different angles, brushing each lightly with butter and leaving edges overhanging. Keep waiting sheets beneath a barely damp clean towel so they do not dry out.

Fill and close

Spoon in the filling evenly. Fold the overhanging filo inward, brushing lightly with butter. Loosely crumple the remaining sheets over the top and brush with all remaining butter. Do not compact the crinkles; their edges should remain lifted.

Bake and rest

Bake on a tray for 30–35 minutes until golden and crisp and the filling centre reaches 74°C (165°F). If the top browns early, cover loosely with foil. Rest for 8 minutes, then cut into four wedges using a serrated knife. Refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Reducing the filling until nearly dry protects the bottom pastry from sogginess.

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