To begin, place the chicken in a large pot with bay leaves, thyme, and salt. Cover with water and simmer for 1 hour until tender. Strain the broth and keep hot. Reserve meat for filling. Transition to potato preparation.

Peel and finely grate the potatoes using a box grater or food processor. Place the pulp in a muslin cloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. The drier the potato base, the better the texture. Move to mixing with stock.

Place the squeezed potato pulp in a large bowl. Gradually add hot chicken stock while stirring continuously until it forms a thick porridge-like mixture. Work quickly to prevent gumminess. Proceed to seasoning.

Stir in chopped onions, butter, salt, and black pepper. Ensure the mixture is well blended. Taste and adjust seasoning at this stage, as the potato base defines the flavour. Transition to preparing meat.

Remove the chicken meat from bones and shred into bite sized pieces. Keep warm until ready to assemble. Next, layer the pie.

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a large baking dish with butter. Spread half the potato mixture in the dish, followed by a layer of shredded chicken. Cover with the remaining potato mixture. Transition to baking.

Brush the top with melted butter and bake uncovered for 2 hours, until the surface forms a golden crust. If it browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil. Continue to the resting stage.

Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This helps the layers set. Move to plating.

Cut generous squares and serve with pickles or molasses for contrast. Presentation tip: pair with a crisp salad to balance the richness.