Description
Best Chicken Bastilla is a traditional Moroccan savory-sweet pie made with spiced chicken, almonds, and eggs wrapped in crisp phyllo dough. Topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon, it’s a show-stopping blend of flavors and textures perfect for holidays or special dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 to 10 sheets phyllo dough
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely ground
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (plus extra for topping)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (plus extra for topping)
- A pinch of saffron threads, soaked in warm water
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a round baking dish with butter.
- Sauté onions in olive oil until soft. Add saffron, ginger, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Stir in cooked chicken and simmer briefly. Add beaten eggs and cook until just set. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Pulse toasted almonds with powdered sugar and cinnamon in a food processor until coarsely ground.
- Layer 3–4 sheets of phyllo in the baking dish, letting edges hang over. Brush each sheet with melted butter.
- Add half the almond mixture, then the chicken filling, then the remaining almonds. Fold overhanging phyllo and brush with butter. Add 2–3 more buttered phyllo sheets on top to seal.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden and crisp. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Dust top with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
- Keep phyllo covered with a damp towel while assembling to prevent drying.
- Let the bastilla rest after baking for cleaner slicing.
- To save time, use rotisserie chicken and pre-toasted almonds.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 135mg