Bastilla is one of the showpieces of Moroccan cooking: spiced chicken, eggs and almonds wrapped in crisp layers of warqa or phyllo, then dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. It is the kind of dish that makes a dinner party table go quiet.
Bastilla, also spelled pastilla, traces back to Fez, Morocco, with roots that likely arrived by way of Andalusian refugees who left Spain centuries ago. The traditional version uses pigeon, but chicken has become the standard even in Morocco for home cooks, layered inside paper-thin warqa pastry with a silky spiced egg mixture and toasted almonds, then dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar on top. That sweet-savory contrast, cinnamon and sugar on what is fundamentally a chicken pie, is the whole point, and it takes people by surprise every single time.
If you already enjoy our empada de carne or empadão de atum (recipes on the site), think of this as their more theatrical cousin from across the Mediterranean.
Chicken Bastilla Recipe
Ingredients
- For the filling:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for topping
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- For the almond layer:
- 1 1/2 cups slivered almonds, toasted
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- For assembly:
- 1 package phyllo dough, thawed (about 8 to 10 sheets needed)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Powdered sugar and ground cinnamon, for dusting
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, saffron, ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric, and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the chicken thighs and chicken broth, season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is very tender and reaches at least 165°F internally, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Remove the chicken, let it cool slightly, then shred it finely. Return the shredded chicken to the flavorful broth left in the pot.
- Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer, then slowly stir in the beaten eggs, stirring constantly, until they scramble into soft, saucy curds that cling to the chicken, similar to how you would make egg drop soup. Remove from heat, stir in the cilantro and parsley, and let cool.
- Pulse the toasted almonds with the sugar and cinnamon in a food processor until coarsely ground. You want texture, not almond flour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9-inch round baking dish or pie plate.
- Layer sheets of phyllo across the dish, brushing each with melted butter, letting the edges hang over the sides, until you have used about half the sheets, arranged in a sunburst pattern so the overhang covers the whole circle.
- Spread half the almond mixture over the phyllo base, then spoon in the chicken and egg filling, then top with the remaining almond mixture.
- Fold the overhanging phyllo up and over the filling. Layer the remaining phyllo sheets on top, buttering each, and tuck the edges underneath to seal in a neat round package.
- Brush the top with more butter and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp.
- Let rest for 10 minutes, then dust generously with powdered sugar and draw a crosshatch pattern of cinnamon lines over the top before slicing into wedges.
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