Don Chicken Pie Review: Our Tasting Notes

Before you read: who is reviewing?

We are a small crew of home cooks reviewing the pies baked at Chicken Pie Kitchen & Don Signature Crab, the kitchen that Don Pie founder Chef Don Lim co-founded and that bakes as DonChef today. This is a fan’s review. The pies are real. The opinions are ours. We do not give scores, stars or marks out of ten, because a number would pretend to a precision our taste buds do not have.

How did we taste the Don chicken pie?

We tasted the Original Chicken Pie the way most people actually eat it: bought as a personal pie, eaten within a few hours, and again the next day after reheating. We followed the kitchen’s own advice for the first round (eat within 4 hours of purchase) and its published air fryer setting for the second (150C for 5 minutes, then 200C for 5 minutes). We cut pies in half to look inside, ate them with and without sauce, and argued a lot.

That is the whole method. No lab, no instruments, no secret panel. For the facts behind the tasting (filling, sizes, prices), see our complete Don chicken pie guide. If you want the controlled comparisons, those live in our kitchen experiments.

How is the crust?

The crust is golden and flaky, with a lid that crackles when you press it and flakes that end up on your shirt. In our opinion the crust is the part that most rewards eating the pie fresh. Within the first few hours, the lid is crisp and the wall holds its shape in the hand.

The base is the weak point, as it is with almost every filled pie. Left in its paper bag for a long time, the base softens as steam from the filling works down into it. A few minutes on a rack in a hot oven or an air fryer brings it back. Other reviewers describe this crust in different ways (puff, old-school and puffy, thicker and more biscuit-like than a French pastry). We think they are all describing the same thing from different angles: a flaky crust with enough body to carry a heavy filling.

How is the filling?

The filling is the headline. The Original is generous with chunky chicken, not shreds, alongside soft potato and vegetables in a creamy, savoury gravy. The chunks hold their shape, which matters: a pie where everything has collapsed into paste tastes tired, and this one does not.

The gravy is thick enough to cling and not flood the plate. The seasoning is the secret blend the kitchen talks about; to us it reads as gently peppery and rounded, more comfort than kick. If you want kick, that is what the Black Pepper version is for (see our family comparison).

What about the half egg?

The half egg is the moment. Every cross-section gets a yellow sun in the middle, and the soft white and creamy yolk change the texture of the bites around it. For us the egg is what makes this pie feel old-school Singaporean rather than generic Western. It also makes the pie feel more like a meal. Curious why the egg is there at all? We dug into it in why Singapore chicken pie has a boiled egg.

Is the Don chicken pie good value?

At $6.80 for a personal Original Chicken Pie on the printed menu dated February 2026 (as of October 2026, check the official site), the Don chicken pie costs more than a heartland bakery pie and less than a cafe pie. The fair comparison is size and filling: the Don pie is a substantial, chunky pie with an egg, and it eats like lunch. A food blogger made the same point in 2023 (in a disclosed partnership post), comparing it on size with pricier pies elsewhere.

The whole pie, at $33.80 for the Original on the same menu, feeds 4-6 according to the kitchen, which makes it the better buy for a group. Our personal vs whole note does the per-slice maths.

What could be better?

A fair review needs a “could be better” list. Here is ours, plus what other reviewers have said. For the full picture, with sources and disclosures listed, there is a round-up of what food blogs and diners say about these pies and the crab bee hoon.

Point	Our view	What others have said
Richness	It is a rich pie. One is plenty for most people at lunch.	A 2023 review found the pastry not as buttery as they would like.
The base over time	Softens if left in the bag for hours. Reheat on a rack.	Not widely mentioned.
Getting one	Kiosks can sell out, and there is no Toa Payoh outlet any more.	A 2022 review found the restaurant small and preferred takeaway.
Travel	Flakes everywhere. Bring a napkin, eat over the bag.	Not mentioned, but you will find out.

None of these stop us coming back, but they are worth knowing before you go.

How does it compare with other chicken pies?

The Don chicken pie sits in the old-school Singapore family: round, full crust top and bottom, potato in the filling and half an egg. Compared with an American pot pie it is sturdier and less soupy; compared with a heartland bakery pie it is bigger and chunkier; compared with a British chicken and mushroom pie it is more peppery and has the egg. Our chicken pie styles comparison goes deeper.

Our verdict (opinion)

In our opinion, the Don chicken pie is the chicken pie we would choose when we want a proper old-school pie that eats like a meal. It is best fresh, nearly as good after a careful re-crisp, and noticeably worse microwaved alone, which is true of every pastry we have ever met. Start with the Original, then decide whether you are a pepper person.

If you want to try one, our page on where to buy a Don chicken pie lists the outlets and the official ordering site.

Quick questions

Is the Don chicken pie worth it?

In our opinion, yes, if you want a substantial, old-school chicken pie with real chunks and an egg in the middle. At $6.80 for a personal pie on the February 2026 menu it costs more than a heartland bakery pie, and it is also bigger and chunkier.

What do other reviewers say about the Don chicken pie?

Food blogs and community reviewers have praised the generous filling, the half egg and the nostalgic flavour. One reviewer found the pastry less buttery than they would like, and another said they would visit for the seafood rather than for the pie alone.

Sources we leaned on

• SethLui: Chicken Pie Kitchen & Don Signature Crab review (December 2022, includes a reader promo code)
• ieatishootipost: The Don is back (April 2023, disclosed partnership post)
• Burpple: community reviews