Moroccan Chicken Bastilla
Moroccan Chicken Bastilla
Table of Contents
Moroccan Chicken Bastilla
Moroccan chicken bastilla is a renowned Moroccan dish, featuring a delicate, flaky warqa pastry filled with layers of tender saffron-infused chicken, a spiced omelet mixture, and a topping of fried almonds sweetened with a hint of orange blossom water. A dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon completes the dish, creating a distinctive combination of sweet and savory flavors.
While this Moroccan chicken bastilla recipe requires a bit of patience, the results are well worth the time and effort. By carefully following the assembly instructions, you’ll find the process manageable. Additionally, the Moroccan chicken bastilla can be prepared a day or more in advance, stored in the refrigerator or freezer, and baked when needed. If you enjoy the chicken version, consider trying the seafood bastilla for a delightful variation.
Moroccan Chicken Bastilla Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 (5-pound) chicken
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 large sweet onions, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
- 2 to 3 sticks cinnamon
For the Egg Stuffing:
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 8 large eggs, beaten
For the Almond Topping:
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups whole blanched almonds
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange flower water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
For the Dough:
- Vegetable oil, as needed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 pound warqa, or phyllo dough
- 1 large egg yolk, beaten
For the Garnish:
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Steps to Make Moroccan Chicken Bastilla
Cook the Chicken
1- Cut the chicken into pieces, removing and discarding the skin. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt the butter together with the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Mix in the spices and stir continuously for about 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the chicken pieces, stirring to coat them evenly with the spices. Cover the pot and cook over medium to medium-high heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is very tender and falls off the bone. Avoid adding water, and ensure the chicken and sauce do not burn, as this could spoil the dish.
2- Remove the cooked chicken and place it on a plate. Continue simmering the sauce in the pot until most of the liquid evaporates, allowing the onions to thicken and combine with the oil. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat as needed to prevent sticking or burning. Discard the cinnamon sticks.
3- While the sauce is reducing, shred the warm chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding the bones. Transfer the meat to a bowl and mix in a few spoonfuls of the reduced onion mixture. Cover and set aside.
Prepare the Egg Stuffing
1- Transfer the remaining reduced onions and oil into a large non-stick skillet. Stir in the chopped cilantro and let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
2- Pour in the beaten eggs and cook gently, as if preparing an omelet or scrambled eggs. It may take up to 10 minutes for the eggs to fully set, so be patient. It’s normal for some oil to separate from the eggs during cooking. Once done, set the egg stuffing aside.
Prepare the Almond Topping
1- Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. To check if the oil is ready, drop in a single almond. If small bubbles form around the almond within a few seconds, the oil is at the right temperature. If the oil sizzles and splatters instantly, reduce the heat slightly.
2- Fry the almonds in small batches, stirring constantly, until they turn a light golden brown. Once they reach a rich color, quickly transfer them to a tray lined with paper towels to drain and cool. Keep in mind that the almonds will continue to darken slightly after being removed from the oil, so avoid overcooking them.
3- When the almonds are fully cooled, pulse them in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and use your hands to blend in the powdered sugar, orange flower water, and softened butter. Set aside.
Assemble the Bastilla
1- Generously grease a 14-inch (or larger) round pan. If a round pan isn’t available, use an oiled flat baking sheet or large plate, shaping the bastilla into a circular pie as best as possible.
2- As you work, brush each sheet of warqa or phyllo dough with melted butter. If using phyllo, keep the remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out too quickly.
3- Using your pan as a guide, arrange 3 to 4 single layers of warqa (shiny side down) or double layers of phyllo dough in a circular pattern, allowing the inner halves to overlap in the center while the outer edges hang over the sides of the pan. Brush each layer with melted butter as you go.
4- Place one buttered 12-inch circle of warqa, or two buttered 12-inch circles of phyllo, in the center of the pan to create the base of the pie.
5- Spread the chicken filling evenly over the center, then layer the egg stuffing on top.
6- Place another buttered 12-inch circle of warqa (shiny side up) or two buttered 12-inch circles of phyllo over the egg stuffing. Evenly spread the almond mixture on top of this layer.
7- Fold the overhanging dough up and over the almond layer to seal the pie, gently pressing and smoothing any uneven areas.
8- Brush the folded edges with butter, then cover with 3 more overlapping layers of warqa (shiny side up) or phyllo, buttering each layer as you go. Tuck the edges of the dough underneath the pie, carefully shaping and molding the bastilla as needed.
9- Using your hands, gently spread the egg yolk over the top and sides of the pie, then lightly brush it with oil in the same way.
10- At this stage, the bastilla is ready to be baked. Alternatively, you can cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 2 months.
Bake the Bastilla
1- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and position a rack in the center. Lightly oil a flat baking sheet.
2- Place the bastilla on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it reaches a deep golden brown. If baking directly from the freezer, allow up to 1 hour for the bastilla to fully bake.
Garnish and Serve
1- Dust the bastilla generously with sifted powdered sugar. Then, either sprinkle cinnamon over the sugar or use it to create decorative patterns on the top of the pie.
2- Serve immediately your Moroccan Chicken Bastilla.
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Moroccan Chicken Bastilla
Ingredients
- 1 5-pound chicken
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 large sweet onions coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
- 2 to 3 sticks cinnamon
- For the Egg Stuffing:
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 8 large eggs beaten
- For the Almond Topping:
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups whole blanched almonds
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange flower water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- For the Dough:
- Vegetable oil as needed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 pound warqa or phyllo dough
- 1 large egg yolk beaten
- For the Garnish:
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken
- Cut the chicken into pieces, discarding the skin. Add the butter and oil to a large Dutch oven or other heavy duty pot and heat on medium until the butter melts. Add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the spices and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover, and cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is very tender and falls off the bone. Do not add water, and be careful not to burn the chicken or the sauce as this will ruin the dish.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, and reduce the sauce in the pot until most of the liquids have evaporated and the onions form a mass in the oil. Stir occasionally, and adjust the heat as necessary to prevent burning. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks.
- While the sauce is reducing and the chicken is still warm, pick the meat off the bones, breaking it into bite-size pieces. Place in a bowl and stir in several spoonfuls of the onion mixture; cover the meat and set aside.
- Cook the Egg Stuffing
- Transfer the remaining reduced onions and oil to a large non-stick skillet. Add the cilantro, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the beaten eggs, and cook as you would an omelet or scrambled eggs. Be patient, as it will take up to 10 minutes for the eggs to set. Some oil separating from the eggs is okay. Set the egg stuffing aside.
- Make the Almond Topping
- Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Test the oil by dropping in an almond. If tiny bubbles rapidly rise around the almond within a few seconds, the oil is ready. If the oil boils and splatters immediately, it’s too hot.
- Fry the almonds in batches, stirring constantly, until light golden brown. As soon as the almonds are richly colored, transfer them to a tray lined with paper towels to drain and cool. Fried almonds will continue to darken a bit after frying, so be careful not to burn them while they’re in the oil.
- When the almonds have cooled completely, pulse them in a food processor until finely ground. Put them in a mixing bowl, and with your hands work in the powdered sugar, orange flower water, and softened butter. Set aside.
- Assemble the Bastilla
- See How to Make Chicken Bastilla for photos showing the assembly process.
- Generously oil a 14-inch or larger round pan. If you don’t have a round pan, work on an oiled flat baking sheet or large plate, and shape a circular pie as best you can.
- Brush melted butter on each sheet of warqa or phyllo dough as you work. If using phyllo, take care to keep it covered with plastic since it dries out very quickly.
- Using your pan as a guide, overlap 3 or 4 single layers of warqa (shiny side down)—or double layers of phyllo dough—in a circular fashion, so that the inner halves of the pastry dough overlap in the center, and the excess dough drapes over the edges of the pan. Butter each layer of dough.
- Place one buttered 12-inch circle of warqa, or two 12-inch buttered circles of phyllo, in the center of the pan. This forms the bottom of the pie.
- Cover the 12-inch circle with the chicken filling, and distribute the egg stuffing over the chicken.
- Top the egg stuffing with another buttered 12-inch circle of warqa (shiny side up), or two 12-inch buttered circles of phyllo. Spread the almond topping over this layer of dough.
- Fold the excess dough up and over the almonds to enclose the pie. Flatten and smooth any bulky areas.
- Brush butter on the folded edges of dough, and top with 3 more overlapping layers of warqa (shiny side up) or phyllo, brushing butter on each layer. Fold down the edges of dough and carefully tuck them underneath the pie, molding and shaping the bastilla as you go.
- Use your hands to spread the egg yolk over the top and sides of the pie. Lightly oil the bastilla in the same manner.
- The bastilla is now ready for baking, or it can be covered in plastic and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Bake the Bastilla
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F (180 C). Oil a flat baking sheet.
- Place the bastilla on oiled baking sheet in the middle of the oven, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Note that a bastilla placed in the oven directly from the freezer will take up to 1 hour to bake.
- Garnish and Serve
- Generously coat the bastilla with sifted powdered sugar. Sift the cinnamon on top of the sugar, or use the cinnamon to decorate the top of the pie.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
2703 Calories, 165g Fat, 99g Carbs, 209 Protein
