Almond-Topped Chicken Rice Pie

A celebratory chicken pilaf enclosed in buttery pastry and decorated with almonds.

By Moow Editorial ·

Domed golden perde pilavı studded with almonds and sliced to reveal chicken rice
Photo: E4024 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons · cropped by Moow
  • A large Bundt-style pan or oven-safe cast-iron pot can be used.

At a glance

Read through the method once, then prep the ingredients in the order listed.

  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 1 hour
For the most consistent result, use the listed weights when available; household measures are rounded.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Serving basis: One serving from the final reviewed yield of 8 servings.

  • Calories: 720 kcal
  • Protein: 33 g
  • Carbohydrates: 69 g
  • Fat: 35 g
  • Sodium: 1565 mg
Estimated from the listed ingredients and serving yield using USDA FoodData Central. Actual values vary with brands, substitutions, cooking losses, oil absorption, and portion size.

Chicken Pilaf

Have these measured and ready before you begin.

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • about 2 U.S. cups plus 2 tablespoons (500 ml by volume) Baldo rice
  • about 4 1/4 U.S. cups (1 liter) hot chicken stock
  • 4 cups (560 g) shredded cooked chicken
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons dried currants
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice

For the Mold

  • 2 tablespoons softened butter, for the mold
  • 100 g raw blanched almonds (3.5 oz)

Pastry

  • 100 g butter (3.5 oz)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • about 2 U.S. cups plus 2 tablespoons (500 ml by volume) all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Knead the pastry butter, yogurt, eggs, salt, and flour into a soft smooth dough, cover, and rest.

2. Generously butter an oven-safe mold, press the blanched almonds onto its base and sides, and refrigerate it.

3. Melt the pilaf butter, toast the pine nuts, add the rice, and cook over low heat until the grains look translucent.

4. Stir in the currants, salt, red pepper, black pepper, and allspice, add the hot chicken stock, cover, and cook over low heat until absorbed; fold in the shredded cooked chicken.

5. Reserve one-quarter of the dough and roll the rest to line the mold with an overhang.

6. Fill with pilaf, close with the reserved dough, and seal the edges.

7. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 30 minutes, invert carefully, and serve hot.

Sources

  1. USDA FoodData Central — April 2026 data release

Contains egg, milk, wheat, almonds, and pine nuts. Cook chicken to 165°F (74°C), remove every bone before filling, and refrigerate rice and poultry within 2 hours.

Explore more stories