🥧 Moroccan Chicken Bastilla (Pastilla) – Sweet & Savory Pie

 

🥧 Moroccan Chicken Bastilla (Pastilla) – Sweet & Savory Pie

Description:
Moroccan Chicken Bastilla is a famous festive pie made with shredded chicken, caramelized onions, eggs, and crunchy almonds, wrapped in thin pastry and topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon. A perfect balance of sweet and savory.

---

Ingredients

For the Chicken Filling

• 1 whole chicken (cut into pieces) or 1 kg chicken thighs

• 2 large onions, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Salt to taste

• Small bunch parsley and cilantro, chopped

• 1 cup water

• 4 eggs, beaten

Almond Layer

• 1 cup almonds

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp orange blossom water (optional)

Assembly

• 8–10 sheets warqa pastry or phyllo dough

• 100 g melted butter

• Powdered sugar (for topping)

• Ground cinnamon (for decoration)

---

Instructions

1️⃣ Cook the Chicken

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil and butter.

2. Add onions, herbs, spices, and chicken pieces.

3. Cook for a few minutes, then add water.

4. Cover and simmer 35–40 minutes until chicken is tender.

5. Remove chicken and shred the meat. Set aside.

---

2️⃣ Make the Egg-Onion Sauce

1. Keep the onion sauce cooking uncovered until thick.

2. Add beaten eggs and stir continuously until creamy and fully cooked.

3. Set aside.

---

3️⃣ Prepare the Almonds

1. Fry or roast almonds until golden.

2. Grind them coarsely with sugar and cinnamon.

3. Add orange blossom water if using.

---

4️⃣ Assemble the Bastilla

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.

2. Butter a round baking pan.

3. Layer pastry sheets, brushing each with butter, letting edges hang over.

4. Add shredded chicken layer.

5. Add egg-onion mixture.

6. Add almond mixture.

7. Fold pastry edges over filling and cover with more sheets on top.

8. Brush top with butter.

---

5️⃣ Bake

• Bake for 30–40 minutes until golden and crisp.

---

6️⃣ Decorate & Serve

• Dust with powdered sugar.

• Sprinkle cinnamon in a diamond pattern.

• Serve warm.