We have my big sister to thank for introducing us to Greek food. She learned how to cook Greek cuisine after marrying her husband who was born in Greece and came to the US as a youngster. Whenever we visited Diane and Nick through the years, there was always some wonderful homemade Greek food during our visit.

After visiting the Greek isles in 2011, Eric tried his hand at making some of those classic dishes Diane was proficient at. As cooking is one of Eric’s specialties, the meals he prepared were right on the mark. Spanakopita is one of our favorite Greek dishes and while Eric is very experienced at making it, the amount of time and work it takes to make limits how often we enjoy it. Until I found this recipe, that is!

Spanakopita is somewhat like a Greek version of Italian lasagna. Instead of pasta noodles, tomato sauce and Italian cheeses, a filling of spinach, feta cheese, scallions, eggs, and dill is layered between sheets of butter-brushed phyllo dough. This riff merges the Greek classic with elements of a chicken pot pie. Cooked entirely in a cast iron skillet, there is a whole lot less work and fuss with this modified version.

Cooking the chicken in butter speeds up the browning of the chicken, keeping the meat juicier on the inside. The sauce starts with a garlic-spiked roux to which cream and chicken stock are added. Feta typically doesn’t melt like other cheeses, however, when it’s combined with the liquids in the sauce, the additional moisture breaks down the cheese and distributes it throughout the mixture.

Scrunched up sheets of butter-brushed phyllo are added as a topping to the casserole. This is an easy way to work with the ultra-thin pastry and contributes a wonderful textured look to the dish. It is a crunchy finishing touch to a delicious dish!

Chicken Spanakopita Skillet

Chicken Spanakopita Skillet (adapted from seriouseats.com)  Total Time Required: 60 minutes, Prep Time: 40 minutes, Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh baby spinach leaves, washed
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped dill, plus more for garnish
• 6 to 8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed and covered with a towel

Directions:

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, a handful at a time, until the pan is full. Cook the spinach, turning often, until just wilted. Transfer the spinach to a colander and press out as much water as possible.

Wilt the spinach.

Pour off any excess water in the skillet and place the pan back over medium heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pan and add the chicken. Season it with salt and pepper.

Season and cook the chicken.

Cook, turning the pieces once, until the edges are lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a bowl and set it aside.

Remove the cooked chicken form the pan.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet and add the garlic. Cook until it is fragrant, about 1 minute, then mix in the flour. Stir the roux together until the mixture forms a golden paste.

Make the roux for the sauce.

Whisk in 1/2 cup of the chicken stock.

Whisk the stock into the roux.

Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in the half-and-half.

Whisk the half-and-half into the sauce.

Stir the feta cheese, scallions, and dill, into the sauce, allowing the feta to melt. Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir the feta and dill into the sauce.

Return the chicken and spinach to the skillet, mixing well.

Add the cooked chicken and spinach to the skillet.

Add additional chicken stock to the sauce if it has thickened too much. (It will thicken even more when baked.) Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Season the mixture.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Lay a sheet of phyllo on a work surface. Brush the sheet with melted butter, then scrunch up the sheet and set it on top of the spinach mixture in the skillet.

Brush the phyllo sheets with butter.

Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets until the filling is completely covered.

Add the scrunched phyllo sheets to the top of the mixture in the skillet.

Brush the tops of the phyllo sheets with any remaining melted butter.

Brush the remaining butter over the scrunched phyllo sheets.

Bake the spanakopita until the phyllo is golden and crisp on top, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.

Bake until the top is golden brown.

Garnish with additional dill and serve warm.

Garnish with additional dill if desired, and serve.

Thank you for introducing us to great Greek food, Diane & Nick!  ~Linda

Chicken Spanakopita Skillet (adapted from seriouseats.com)  Total Time Required: 60 minutes, Prep Time: 40 minutes, Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh baby spinach leaves, washed
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped dill, plus more for garnish
• 6 to 8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed and covered with a towel

Directions:

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, a handful at a time, until the pan is full. Cook the spinach, turning often, until just wilted. Transfer the spinach to a colander and press out as much water as possible.

Pour off any excess water in the skillet and place the pan back over medium heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pan and add the chicken. Season it with salt and pepper. Cook, turning the pieces once, until the edges are lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a bowl and set it aside.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet and add the garlic. Cook until it is fragrant, about 1 minute, then mix in the flour. Stir the roux together until the mixture forms a golden paste. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in the half-and-half.

Stir the feta cheese, scallions, and dill, into the sauce, allowing the feta to melt. Remove the pan from the heat. Return the chicken and spinach to the skillet, mixing well. Add additional chicken stock to the sauce if it has thickened too much. (It will thicken even more when baked.) Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Lay a sheet of phyllo on a work surface. Brush the sheet with melted butter, then scrunch up the sheet and set it on top of the spinach mixture in the skillet. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets until the filling is completely covered. Brush the tops of the phyllo sheets with any remaining melted butter.

Bake the spanakopita until the phyllo is golden and crisp on top, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, garnish with additional dill and serve warm.