Rappie Pie is a traditional Acadian casserole-like dish with chicken and grated potato flavoured with homemade chicken broth, and baked until golden and crispy, originating from the Canadian region of Southwest Nova Scotia.
Recipe Intro
Origins: Rappie Pie, although a Canadian dish, is not widely known across the country. It’s a regional speciality, primarily from southern Nova Scotia, deeply rooted in the Acadian communities. The dish originates from the Acadian French settlers, and its name comes from the French word râper, meaning “to grate,” which refers to the grated potatoes used in the recipe.
The dish is most commonly found in Clare and Argyle, two Acadian regions in Nova Scotia. It is also popular in parts of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, but outside of these regions, Rappie Pie is less known or completely unheard of.
My Rappie Pie Experience: I first tried Rappie Pie at a friend’s birthday dinner. She’s from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and makes it every year for her birthday. It is a dish she grew up with. Her mum used to make it for various family gatherings.
I loved the texture and the flavour of the potatoes combined with the chicken broth, as I’d never experienced anything like it before, so I couldn’t wait to make this tasty chicken and potato casserole myself.
Rappie Pie Ingredients
Chicken broth
- whole chicken – or you can buy chicken legs ( both drumsticks and thighs )
- carrots
- onions
- celery
- celeriac (or other root veg)
- salt
Other
- potatoes – Choose floury potatoes for the best texture.
- bacon – or pork fat
- butter – unsalted
Optional
chicken stock – You can add a chicken stock cube or powder for a more intense flavour.
How to make Canadian chicken and potato casserole (Rappie Pie)?
For the most authentic Rappie Pie experience, making it from scratch is worth the effort. Using premade grated potatoes and ready-made chicken broth might save time, but it won’t deliver the rich, homemade flavour that comes from preparing these ingredients yourself, trust me.
Tips:
1. Given the time and effort involved in preparing the grated potatoes and making the chicken broth, it’s a good idea to make a large batch.
2. I bought small aluminium baking trays (21cm x 15cm x 4cm) and prepared several individual portions. This way, I could freeze a few – they hold up well in the freezer and are easy to reheat.
1. How to make chicken broth for Rappie Pie
Traditionally, this dish is made with a whole chicken – legs, wings, carcass, and breasts. I prepared with a 1.3 kg chicken, excluding the breast meat. The remaining meat from the legs, wings, and bits from the carcass was enough to fill four trays (21 cm x 15 cm x 4 cm). If the breasts had been included, it would have been sufficient for an additional 1 to 2 trays.
- Cut the chicken into pieces: separate the wings, drumsticks, and breasts, and cut the carcass into two or three pieces. Do not remove the chicken skin, it adds rich flavour to the broth.
- Place the meat in a large pot with a few litres of water and chopped onion, carrot, celery stalk, and celery root (cut in half). Season with salt and pepper.
Note: I added chopped onions to the broth because I wanted onion pieces in the pie, but if you prefer clear broth, just cut onions in half, this is only to flavour the broth. Simply strain them out before using the broth in your recipe.
- Bring to a gentle simmer – don’t let it boil vigorously, just enough for bubbles to appear. Cook for 1 hour.
- When the broth is done, take out the vegetables and meat. Keep the soup warm and let it continue simmering gently, as you’ll need it extremely hot to mix with the potatoes.
While carrots aren’t traditionally included in Rappie Pie, I didn’t want to waste them, so I added them to the pie. It turned out to be a tasty addition that didn’t take away from the original flavour!
You can also add celery to the pie; just chop it finely.
- Once the chicken cools enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones and set it aside for later.
2. How to prepare potatoes for Rappie Pie
⚠️ Important!
Prepare everything in advance: shred the cooked meat into smaller pieces, and chop the vegetables ( if using) before you start with the potatoes. Prepare a baking dish or tray(s) and a bowl with a cheesecloth for the potatoes. Otherwise, the grated potatoes will sit in the bowl and darken while you prepare the other ingredients for the pie.
- Peel and wash the potatoes and place them immediately into a large bowl of cold water. This step is crucial to prevent the potatoes from browning.
You can see in the photos that the potato layers remained light, the potato didn’t have time to oxidise and turn greyish.
- Grate the potatoes finely and then drain them through cheesecloth.
For ease and speed, use a food processor with a grating attachment. If the food processor isn’t available, a traditional handheld grater will have to do though it’s more labour-intensive.
Some recipes mention a juicing machine instead. This method makes the potatoes completely puree-like, which might not suit everyone. Some prefer the texture of grated potatoes, while others like a smoother consistency. Choose the method that best fits your preference.
- Immediately squeeze and press the grated potatoes through cheesecloth, squeezing out as much liquid and starch as possible. Make sure to measure the amount of liquid you’ve drained.
- Place the drained potatoes into a bowl, preferably next to the stove where the chicken broth is simmering.
- Using a ladle, add the hot broth gradually to the potatoes, stirring the mixture as you go. Add enough broth to match the volume of the liquid squeezed out of the potatoes. The broth must be hot! The potatoes will become mushy as you mix and this is the consistency that you are after.
3. Layering Rappie Pie
Start by frying salt pork or bacon to render the fat. Use it to drizzle over the layers of potatoes and meat, enhancing the flavour and richness of the dish. Also to grease the baking dish or tray. Finish by topping the pie with bacon pieces and chunks of butter.
- Grease the pan with bacon fat or pork fat. Add the potato mixture in a thin layer.
- Then add the cooked shredded chicken and carrots (if using). Some like to include sliced onions – either fried or raw – so feel free to add those, depending on your preference. Drizzle with bacon fat.
- Now add another layer of potatoes, pour over the remaining bacon fat, and top with bacon pieces, pressing them slightly into the potato mixture. You can also add pork fat or pieces of butter. Or you can add butter once the pie is baked.
- Bake at 190°C for about 50-60 minutes, depending on the size of the portions.
In the last 2-3 minutes of baking, I sprinkled some grated cheese on top of the pie, this was my personal touch ( not the traditional ), so feel free to include it or leave it out based on your preference.
- Let it rest for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy your authentic Acadian chicken and potato casserole or Rappie Pie!
Bon appétit!
Serving Canadian chicken and potato casserole ( Rappie Pie)
Rappie Pie is commonly enjoyed with a pat of butter on top, which melts into the pie for extra richness. Some people also drizzle a bit of molasses over it. It’s often paired with tangy accompaniments like pickles.
Best served hot as a main meal.
I served my Rappie Pie with a simple wild rocket salad, this added a fresh, peppery contrast to the hearty dish.
Why not serve it with this simple but tasty Green Beans side dish or with this Creamy Spinach
Recipe Card
Canadian chicken and potato casserole – Rappie Pie
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken - 1.3 kg
- 2 kg potatoes - floury variety
- 3-4 carrots - medium size
- 3-4 celery stalks
- 1 celeriac - or other roots
- 3 onions
- 150 g bacon - or pork fat
- 2-3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1-2 chicken stock cube - optional
- salt,black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Broth: Cut the chicken: Separate wings, drumsticks, and breasts; cut the carcass into 2-3 pieces (keep skin on).Place chicken in a large pot with a few litres of water, add onion, carrot, celery stalk, and celery root, all cut into smaller pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock if using.Bring to a gentle simmer (no vigorous boiling) and cook for 1h – 1h and 20 minutes.
- Remove vegetables and chicken. Keep the broth hot, simmering gently.Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones and set aside for later.
- Prepare the Potatoes: Wash and peel potatoes. Then grate them using a hand grater, a food processor or a juicer. ( see recipe post for more info)
- Place a cheesecloth over a larger bowl and drain the potatoes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Measure the liquid squeezed out. Add an equal amount of hot chicken broth back into the grated potatoes. Make sure the broth is hot. Stir well.
- Layer the Pie: Fry bacon to render fat and use it to grease your baking dish. Start with a layer of grated potatoes mixed with broth, followed by shredded chicken and chopped cooked carrots (optional). Drizzle with bacon fat and repeat with another potato layer. Top with bacon pieces, or butter. Drizzle with bacon fat.
- Bake: Bake at 190°C for 50-60 minutes. Let the pie rest for 20 minutes before serving.