Moroccan B'stilla

🕒 Prep: 30 min
🔥 Cook: 45 min
🍽 Serves: 6
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If you’re looking to bring a taste of Morocco right into your kitchen, this B'stilla is your ticket. It's a savory and sweet pie that balances tender, spiced chicken with a flaky phyllo crust. Perfect for a special dinner or when you simply want to impress.

Ingredients for Moroccan B'stilla

Chicken (or pigeon) meat forms the hearty base of this pie, absorbing the rich spices perfectly. Olive oil is used to sauté the aromatics, adding a subtle fruitiness. The chicken broth keeps everything moist and flavorful. Onion and garlic build the aromatic foundation, while ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and black pepper bring warmth and complexity. The touch of saffron adds a luxurious, floral depth. Eggs are mixed in to bind the filling, and blanched almonds provide a satisfying crunch. A bit of sugar adds that signature sweetness, balanced by fresh parsley and cilantro for a fresh finish. Unsalted butter is essential for that golden, crispy phyllo crust. Finally, a dusting of powdered sugar and ground cinnamon on top ties everything together beautifully.

Tips & Tricks

  • Keep your phyllo dough covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out as you work.
  • If saffron is hard to find or too pricey, a pinch of turmeric can be a decent substitute for color, though the flavor will be different.
  • Use leftover roasted chicken to save time, just adjust the simmering step accordingly.

Serving Suggestions

B'stilla is traditionally served as a main course, often accompanied by a simple green salad with a lemony vinaigrette to cut through the richness. A side of roasted vegetables or a couscous salad can round out the meal beautifully.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make B'stilla ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the filling a day in advance and assemble the pie just before baking.
What can I use instead of phyllo dough?
If phyllo dough is unavailable, puff pastry can be a decent alternative, though it will be less traditional.

Moroccan B'stilla Recipe Walkthrough

First things first, preheat your oven to 375°F to ensure it's ready when you need it. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in your finely chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing them until they become translucent and your kitchen starts to smell amazing.

Now, stir in the chicken along with the ground ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, and saffron. Let these spices coat the meat, cooking until it's nicely browned. The aroma should be intoxicating at this point!

Add the chicken broth, reduce the heat, and cover the skillet. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes, allowing all those flavors to meld beautifully. Once done, remove the chicken and shred the meat, setting it aside for later. Keep the broth on the stove, letting it reduce until it's thickened.

In a bowl, mix the eggs with the thickened broth. Stir in the shredded chicken, chopped almonds, sugar, parsley, and cilantro. This is your flavorful filling, ready to be enveloped in phyllo.

Brush a baking dish with melted butter, then layer 5 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with butter as you go. Spread the chicken mixture evenly over the phyllo, and then top with another 5 buttered phyllo sheets.

Pop it into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and irresistibly crispy. Let it cool for about 10 minutes — if you can wait — then sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon before serving. Enjoy!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Aromatic blend of spices makes every bite a flavor explosion.
  • The crispy phyllo layers add a delightful texture contrast.
  • Sweet and savory notes create a unique and unforgettable taste.
  • Impressive presentation that looks harder than it actually is.

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken (or pigeon) meat
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crumbled
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup blanched almonds, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 lb phyllo dough
Powdered sugar, for topping
Ground cinnamon, for topping

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sautéing until translucent.
3. Stir in chicken, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, and saffron. Cook until the chicken is browned.
4. Add chicken broth, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Remove chicken, shred meat, and set aside. Reduce broth until thickened.
6. In a bowl, mix eggs with thickened broth, stirring in chicken, almonds, sugar, parsley, and cilantro.
7. Brush a baking dish with melted butter. Layer 5 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with butter.
8. Spread chicken mixture over phyllo, top with 5 more buttered phyllo sheets.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
10. Let cool for 10 minutes, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon before serving.

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