Chicken Feta Phyllo Bundles Recipes

KOTOPITA: GREEK STYLE CHICKEN IN PHYLLO PIE

Steps:

• ​Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, 200 degrees Celsius.
• ​Wash the chicken with cold water and pat it dry. Make sure to remove anything that may be inside the cavity.
• ​Pour the olive oil over the chicken and season both sides with the herbs and spices.
• Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
• ​Remove the foil and bake uncovered 40 additional minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
• Allow to cool completely.
• ​In the meantime make the filling by cooking the garlic cloves with the diced onions and oil in a pan for about 15 minutes or until soft.
• ​Add the diced bell peppers, season with some salt and pepper and cook 5-6 minutes or until they soften and release their juices.
• ​When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat and set the bones aside to make broth another day.
• Shred the meat or chop it. About 4 cups are needed for this recipe.
• ​Add the meat and the sautéed pepper mixture to a large bowl and mix well to combine.
• ​Make the béchamel sauce by combining the olive oil and flour to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat while whisking until it becomes slightly toasted.
• ​Add the milk, salt. pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk well to combine. Take care to not add too much salt. There will be lots of cheese in the filling which is already salty.
• Bring the mixture to a boil and continue whisking until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• ​Remove from heat and add about a cup of this mixture to the eggs. Whisk to incorporate and to temper them.
• ​Add the egg mixture to the saucepan and whisk well to combine.
• Pour the béchamel sauce into the mixing bowl with the filling. Add the cheeses and mix well.
• ​Add some fresh thyme and taste to see if any more salt and pepper is needed.
• ​I always add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. It's up to you to do the same or to just leave it out.
• Set the filling aside.
• ​Note: Phyllo dough comes in various thicknesses. The thinner the phyllo, the more sheets will be in a pack. The thicker phyllo will have fewer sheets since it is sold by weight. I usually buy the #4 thickness. Any phyllo will do.
• ​Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, 170 degrees Celsius.
• Remove the phyllo from its packaging. Separate it into 2 equal stacks. One will be for the bottom and the other for the top of the pie. I like to use a little more for the bottom and less for the top. It's a matter of personal preference. The pie will still be delicious either way.
• Brush the baking pan with melted butter.
• Take 2-4 sheets of phyllo and place them at the 12:00 position of the pan (as if you were looking at a clock)placing half in the pan and the other half should hang out of the pan.
• ​Drizzle some melted butter on top of the phyllo.
• Take 2-4 more phyllo sheets and place them at the 3:00 position of the baking pan, half in half hanging out.
• ​Drizzle them with some more melted butter.
• ​Take 2-4 more phyllo sheets and place them down in the bottom of the pan. Drizzle with melted butter.
• ​Take 2-4 phyllo sheets and place them at the 9:00 position of the baking pan. Drizzle with butter.
• ​Pour all of the filling onto the pan and cover it with the phyllo that is hanging outside of the pan.
• Drizzle with melted butter.
• ​Keep taking 2-4 stacks of phyllo and place them in the pan, tucking the edges in really well. Drizzle with melted butter until all of the phyllo runs out.
• ​Scour the pie into 12 equal pieces and pour the remaining butter all over the pie. Sprinkle thetop with some sesame seeds.
• ​Bake 45 -60 minutes or until the pie is golden brown on top and the filling is bubbling.
• ​Sometimes, it can take 1 hour and 15 minutes to be ready.
• Allow the pie at least 20-30 minutes to rest at room temperature so that the filling sets and it will be easy to slice and serve.
• Enjoy!

GREEK PHYLLO-WRAPPED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In bowl, mash together feta cheese, egg yolks and garlic.
• Mix in onions, parsley, mint and pepper.
• With sharp knife held horizontally and starting at rounded side, cut chicken in half almost but not all the way through; open like a book.
• Spread feta mixture evenly on 1 half of each breast; fold breast over to enclose.
• Place 1 sheet of phyllo on work surface, keeping remainder covered with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
• Brush lightly with some of the butter; top with second sheet and brush lightly with butter.
• Centre 1 breast on phyllo about 2 inches from the short edge; fold long sides over chicken and roll up.
• Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Place in lightly greased baking dish; brush with remaining butter.
• If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
• Bake in 350 degree F oven until crisp and golden, about 45 minutes.
• Serve with lemon wedges.

GREEK CHICKEN AND FETA PHYLLO BUNDLES

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise almost in half to create a pocket.
• Place in a large glass baking dish.
• In a bowl whisk together white wine, olive oil, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper; pour over the chicken breasts and turn the breasts to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate for about 12-24 hours.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade but reserve about 3 tablespoons marinade.
• In another bowl stir crumbled feta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley and reserved marinade.
• Place each breast on a cutting board or a working surface.
• Place a generous amount of filling (about 2 tablespoons) in each pocket of the breast.
• Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface (keeping the remainder of the phyllo covered with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent drying out).
• Brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter, then top with a second sheet (you will be using 2 sheets of phyllo for each breast).
• Place and center the stuffed chicken breast on the phyllo about 2-inches from the bottom.
• Fold bottom over the breast; fold the sides over then roll up.
• Repeat with remaining breasts (keeping the remaining phyllo dough sheets covered to prevent drying).
• Place seam-side down on a greased baking sheet.
• Brush tops with melted butter.
• Bake in oven for about 45 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned and the chicken is no longer pink inside.
• Delicious!

CHICKEN PHYLLO BUNDLES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In small microwavable bowl, place carrots. Cover; microwave on High about 1 minute or until tender. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, gently mix chicken, Swiss cheese, onions, asparagus and spreadable cheese. Stir in carrots.
• To make 1 bundle, layer 5 phyllo pastry sheets, generously spraying each layer with cooking spray (sheets can be stacked randomly). Keep remaining pastry sheets covered with damp cloth until needed to prevent dough from drying out. Place about 1/2 cup chicken mixture in center of stack of pastry. With both hands, lift pastry stack towards center and twist in center to make bundle (pastry may tear a little). Spray outside of each bundle generously with cooking spray; place on ungreased large cookie sheet. Repeat to make 7 more bundles.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is browned and crisp.

CHICKEN WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES, FETA AND SPINACH IN PHYLLO CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Brush 6 or 12-cup muffin tins with butter using pastry brush. Brush a layer of phyllo dough with butter, top with a second sheet of pastry, butter, then season the phyllo with salt and pepper and then top with a third sheet. Cut into 6 or 12 squares and arrange the phyllo in cups, allowing the dough to crumple and spill out of the tops of the tins. Brush the inside of the pastry cups with remaining butter. Bake until golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Cool.
• To a skillet preheated over medium high heat add chicken, garlic and onions and season with salt and pepper. Saute 5 minutes, add the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach and cook another 3 to 5 minutes. Add feta and taste to adjust seasonings.
• To serve, place phyllo cups on a serving platter and fill with mounds of chicken, sun- dried tomatoes and spinach mixture. A hearty vegetable and olive salad makes a perfect starter or side to this delicious, quick cross between chicken pot pies and spanakopita.

SPINACH & CHICKEN PHYLLO PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, cook chicken and onion over medium-high heat 7-9 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles; drain. Stir in seasonings. Add spinach; cook and stir until liquid is evaporated. Transfer to a large bowl; cool slightly. Stir in beaten eggs and cheese., Layer 10 sheets of phyllo dough in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, spritzing each with cooking spray. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) Spread spinach mixture over phyllo. Top with remaining sheets of phyllo, spritzing each with cooking spray. Cut into 8 rectangles., Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. If necessary, recut rectangles before serving.