Chicken and Feta Tarts

Chicken and Feta Tarts

Chicken and feta are a favorite combination and these little tarts are the perfect appetizer or game-day bite for 12 or a light brunch for 6 served with a big green salad. Change the green herb to whatever suits your tastes and if Kalamata olives are not a favorite, California ripe are just as delicious.

Chicken and Feta Tarts
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 25 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 package refrigerated pie crusts at room temperature
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg white
4 green onions - green and white parts sliced thinly
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or mist with cooking spray.
2. Unroll pie crusts and cut with a 3-inch biscuit cutter into 12 rounds, gathering dough and re-rolling as necessary. Lay dough rounds on baking sheets, 6 per sheet.
3. Combine ricotta cheese with green onion, egg white, basil and salt. Stir until well blended.
4. Top each dough round with 2 tablespoons ricotta mixture, shredded chicken, a teaspoon or so of Feta cheese and Kalamata olives, keeping the toppings centered and leaving an edge of pie crust about 1/2 - inch wide.
5. Fold edges of pie crust upward leaving most of the filling exposed.
6. Bake for 13 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is slightly puffy.
7. Cool briefly before serving.

Chicken Spanakopita

Spanakopita may well be one of the finest foods on this earth. The flaky, crispy phyllo and tangy feta combined with tender spinach and a moist cheese filing make it like no other food. I'm not sure where I got the idea to add chicken, but I did and it turned out really well. There is a single top crust to this as I was afraid the added chicken may make a bottom crust too moist and spoil the whole dish. I might do it again and try the bottom crust, but either way, this was very good indeed.

I used a variation of Helene Bozakis' recipe that my mom uses, subbing scallions for the onion, ricotta for cottage cheese, half the spinach and eggs, and I'm starting to think her recipe is foolproof, because it was just as delicious as always.



Chicken Spanakopita
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

Half of a 12oz box of phyllo sheets
1 stick butter-melted

1 lb frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed until dry
1 bunch scallions thinly sliced white and green parts
3T olive oil

8 chicken breast filets cooked lightly on both sides
1 c. feta cheese - crumbled
1 lb. ricotta cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
2 T chopped fresh dill
3 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 t. nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Lay cooked chicken breast filets on the bottom of a lightly greases 9x13 baking pan.
Cook scallions in oil until fragrant - about 2 minutes and add spinach. Stir and cook for 2 minutes longer or until no liquid is visible.
Combine ricotta, Parmesan and feta with eggs and blend well. Add dill, nutmeg and salt and pepper - mix.
Blend spinach and cheeses together until well combined - spoon over chicken breasts in pan.
Brush each sheet of phyllo with butter and layer on top of chicken and spinach until all phyllo sheets are used up. Brush top layer with butter and tuck ends into the side of the pan.
Bake at 350F for 45 minutes until golden and crisp.
Let stand 10-15 min. before cutting. Good served hot or cold.