The Best Moroccan Chicken Bastilla To Make

Let’s learn how to make The Best Moroccan Chicken Bastilla recipe at home with high-quality ingredients.

Bastilla or Pastilla is one of the most popular dishes in Morocco, it is filled with 3 layers: Egg mixture, chicken mixture, and Almond. Without forgetting the delightful topping of Bastilla that contains icing sugar, cinnamon, and almonds.

Also, this dish is perfect for special events and occasions.

So, you should absolutely try this flavorful dish, your family will be satisfied.

Ingredients:

The chicken filling :

• 2 pounds of chicken (approximately a whole one)
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of finely chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp of cooking oil
• 1 tsp of ginger powder
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
• A large pinch of saffron
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/4 tsp of black pepper
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp of Moroccan salted butter (Smen)
• 2 small cinnamon sticks

The Almond filling:

• 10 ounces of blanched almonds
• 4 ounces of powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp of orange blossom water
• 1 tbsp of cinnamon powder
• Oil for frying

The Egg filling:

• 6 large eggs
• 1 tbsp of honey (you can add more if you want more sweetness).

Directions :

Making the chicken :

1. Firstly, in a large pot at medium heat, drizzle 2 tbsp of oil, and add the onions, and 4 cloves of minced garlic. Then, sautee for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Next, add your chicken, add all the spices (Salt, black pepper, ginger powder, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, saffron, Moroccan salted butter, and 2 small cinnamon sticks), add 1 cup of finely chopped parsley. Then, stir and saute for about 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes, add 2 cups of water (You don’t need to add too much water, just add enough water for the chicken to cook).
4. Then, cover and cook at medium-high heat for about 20 to 30 minutes.
5. After your chicken is ready, remove it from the pot, put your chicken in a bowl, remove the meat from the chicken, and shred it into small pieces. Set aside.

The egg mixture:

1. Add the 6 eggs to the pot where you have cooked the chicken, with 1 tbsp of honey, and keep stirring until all the liquid evaporates.
2. Once the egg mixture is ready, let it cool slightly and set aside.

The Almond mixture:

1. Firstly, in a saucepan at medium heat, heat the oil, and fry them until golden brown. Then, drain your almonds from the excess oil.
2. In a medium bowl, add your fried almonds, 4 ounces of powdered sugar, 2 tbsp of orange blossom water, and 1 tbsp of cinnamon powder. Then, mix it all together until you have a rough texture. (Don’t mix too much).

Folding the Bastilla:

In Morocco, they use a dough called warqa to make the Bastilla. But, outside Morocco, it is difficult to find it. So, we are going to use phyllo dough instead. You will also need 1 egg yolk and 1 stick of butter.

1. In a round baking dish, grease it with melted butter, in the bottom layer, add the half of phyllo dough, it is better to fold them in two because it breaks easily.
2. Then, brush them evenly with melted butter.
3. First, spread evenly the egg mixture, the chicken mixture, then the almonds.
4. Bring the phyllo dough pieces in the sides to the center, and brush the top with egg yolk. Add one more phyllo dough and brush it with egg yolks and close the sides well.
5. In a preheated oven at 300F°, bake your Bastilla for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Before serving the Bastilla, sprinkle it with powdered sugar, and lines of cinnamon and almonds.
7. Enjoy!