My East-Meets-West Spanakopita Spiral
- Chef Josh Gale
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read

My sister has always been obsessed with spanakopita. Growing up, it was basically her comfort food — flaky, cheesy, spinachy perfection that could fix just about anything. Even after moving all the way to Thailand, nothing really replaced that craving for her favorite Greek treat.
So when she came back to visit recently, we made it our mission to find the best spanakopita in the city. We hit up every bakery, café, and Mediterranean spot we could find, hopeful and hungry. But somehow… nothing. No flaky triangles, no golden bites, nada.
Honestly, it was kind of disappointing.
That’s when I figured — if the city can’t deliver, I’ll just make it myself. Spanakopita, my way.
Instead of the usual phyllo dough, I used rice paper sheets to get that crispy texture. Inside, I packed shredded roast chicken, sautéed spinach, mozzarella, and feta — all seasoned just right. A quick roll, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, a brush of egg wash, and a bake until golden brown, and voilà ! A fresh take on a classic.
My East-Meets-West Spanakopita Spiral Recipe
Ingredients:
3 rice paper sheets
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded roast chicken
1/2 cup sautéed spinach
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup crumbled feta
Sesame seeds
Salt and pepper
Lemon
Instructions:
Start by combining your filling: fold together chicken, spinach, mozzarella, feta and season with salt and pepper.
Whisk together eggs on a plate, then dip each rice paper sheet for a few seconds before laying out of a lightly oiled cutting board.
Spoon the filling in a line across the rice paper sheets and roll up into a tight cylinder, then gently curve it around itself into a company spiral.
Brush with a bit of the egg wash and top with sesame seeds.
Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Enjoy...and let me know what you think!