Moroccan Chicken Bastilla

Authorbaidoone
RatingDifficultyIntermediate

Bastilla is a traditional Moroccan chicken pie. It combines sweet and salty flavours; a combination of crisp layers of phyllo pastry, chicken slow-cooked in broth and spices, and a crunchy layer of toasted and ground almonds, cinnamon, and sugar.

Yields4 Servings
Prep Time15 minsCook Time50 minsTotal Time1 hr 5 mins
 1 tbsp olive oil
 8 chicken thigh fillets, coarsely chopped
 1 onion, coarsely chopped
 2 garlic cloves, crushed
 1 tsp ground ginger
 1/2 tsp saffron threads
 2 tsp ground cinnamon
 1 cup chicken stock
 1/4 cup toasted almonds, finely chopped
 1 tbsp icing sugar
 12 sheets filo pastry
 1 oz butter, melted
 1/2 cup coriander, coarsely chopped
 1 egg, beaten
1

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add half the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and just cooked. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken.

2

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until onion softens. Add the chicken, ginger, saffron and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3

Preheat oven to 390 F. Combine almonds, icing sugar and remaining cinnamon. Grease a 8 inch round shallow cake pan. Brush 1 filo sheet with a little melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with a little of the almond mixture. Continue layering with filo, butter and almond mixture, rotating the next layer of filo slightly to create a round. Line the pan with the filo, allowing edges to overhang.

4

Add the coriander and egg to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Spoon chicken mixture into the lined pan. Bring the filo edges over the chicken mixture to enclose filling. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken is heated through and the pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven. Turn out onto an oven tray. Bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and crisp.

5

Serve hot or warm and sprinkle with extra icing sugar and cinnamon.

Category

Ingredients

 1 tbsp olive oil
 8 chicken thigh fillets, coarsely chopped
 1 onion, coarsely chopped
 2 garlic cloves, crushed
 1 tsp ground ginger
 1/2 tsp saffron threads
 2 tsp ground cinnamon
 1 cup chicken stock
 1/4 cup toasted almonds, finely chopped
 1 tbsp icing sugar
 12 sheets filo pastry
 1 oz butter, melted
 1/2 cup coriander, coarsely chopped
 1 egg, beaten

Directions

1

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add half the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and just cooked. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken.

2

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until onion softens. Add the chicken, ginger, saffron and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3

Preheat oven to 390 F. Combine almonds, icing sugar and remaining cinnamon. Grease a 8 inch round shallow cake pan. Brush 1 filo sheet with a little melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with a little of the almond mixture. Continue layering with filo, butter and almond mixture, rotating the next layer of filo slightly to create a round. Line the pan with the filo, allowing edges to overhang.

4

Add the coriander and egg to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Spoon chicken mixture into the lined pan. Bring the filo edges over the chicken mixture to enclose filling. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken is heated through and the pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven. Turn out onto an oven tray. Bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and crisp.

5

Serve hot or warm and sprinkle with extra icing sugar and cinnamon.

Moroccan Chicken Bastilla
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