Chicken Shepherd's Pie

What is the Chicken Shepherd’s Pie?

The Chicken Shepherd’s Pie is the mash-topped pie from the DonChef kitchen, the Tyrwhitt Road kitchen co-founded by Chef Don Lim. Our menu describes it as the Black Pepper Chicken Pie’s filling topped with baked mashed potato. It is baked and shown as a rectangular tray rather than a round, crimped pie, so it looks and eats differently from the rest of the family.

Why is it called a shepherd’s pie if it is chicken?

It is called a shepherd’s pie because of the potato top, not the meat. Strictly, a British shepherd’s pie is made with lamb and a cottage pie with beef, both under mashed potato. In Singapore, and in plenty of other places, “shepherd’s pie” has come to mean any savoury filling baked under mash. Ours uses chicken, so we call it a Chicken Shepherd’s Pie to be clear about what is inside. The lamb-versus-beef question has its own explainer: shepherd’s pie vs cottage pie. If you want to see how other kitchens in town handle the dish, lamb, beef and halal versions included, Pie Singapore keeps a list of the best shepherd’s pie in Singapore.

How is it related to the Original?

The Chicken Shepherd’s Pie is a step away from the Original Chicken Pie, and two steps from its pastry. It shares its filling with the Black Pepper Chicken Pie, which is the peppery sibling of the Original. Instead of a golden, flaky lid, the filling is covered with mashed potato and baked until the top browns.

So it carries the kitchen’s seasoning and its chicken, but not DonChef’s crust. People who want the original Don pie should start with the Original Chicken Pie. People who want comfort in a tray should start here, and anyone curious about the dish itself will find more on the brand’s own chicken shepherd’s pie page.

What does it taste like?

The Chicken Shepherd’s Pie tastes like the black pepper filling turned gentler. The mash softens the pepper’s edge and soaks up some of the gravy, so each spoonful is creamier and more mellow than a slice of the Black Pepper pie. Where the top has browned in the oven, the potato gives a little crust of its own.

It is a spoon dish rather than a hand-held one. Serve it from the tray.

What sizes does it come in?

On our printed menu the Chicken Shepherd’s Pie comes in Personal, for one, and Whole, for four to six, like the Original and Black Pepper pies. The Whole tray is the one offices tend to order; for a large order, read up on minimums and lead times for bulk pie orders before you plan the day. The rest of our range is on our pies page.

How long does a chicken shepherd’s pie keep?

A chicken shepherd’s pie keeps for less time than a pastry pie, because mashed potato and gravy hold moisture. Our ordering guidance is clear: do not keep Shepherd’s Pie beyond three days, refrigerated. For the best texture, eat it on the day you buy it.

To reheat, cover the tray loosely so the mash does not dry out, and heat until the filling is piping hot in the centre (75C on a food thermometer). Uncover for the last few minutes if you want the top to crisp again.

Pastry pie or shepherd’s pie: what is the difference?

Is it halal?

Like everything from our kitchen: no pork, no lard; not Halal-certified. Our restaurant serves alcohol and welcomes pets, so we are not certified, and we never claim to be.