Moroccan Pastilla Chicken Pie (Printable View)

A layered Moroccan pie combining spiced chicken, toasted almonds, and flaky phyllo with a sweet dusting.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat Filling

01 - 1.5 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp ground ginger
06 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
07 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
08 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
09 - 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 0.5 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp warm water (optional)
11 - 1 tsp salt
12 - 2 cups chicken stock
13 - 0.5 cup slivered almonds, toasted
14 - 0.33 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
15 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Egg Mixture

16 - 6 large eggs
17 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
18 - 0.25 tsp salt

→ Pastry & Assembly

19 - 10 sheets phyllo pastry (approx. 12 x 17 inches)
20 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
21 - 0.5 cup powdered sugar
22 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add chicken, ground ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, nutmeg, soaked saffron if using, and salt. Brown chicken on all sides for 5 minutes.
02 - Add chicken stock, cover, and simmer for 30–35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove chicken and let cool, then shred meat discarding bones and skin.
03 - Simmer the cooking liquid over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 1 cup remaining.
04 - Return shredded chicken to pot, add parsley, cilantro, and toasted almonds. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Allow filling to cool.
05 - Melt butter in a separate pan over medium-low heat. Beat eggs with salt and add to pan. Stir gently until softly scrambled and still moist. Fold eggs into cooled chicken mixture.
06 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush a 10-inch round baking dish with melted butter. Layer 5 sheets phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter and letting edges overhang.
07 - Spread chicken and egg filling evenly inside phyllo layers. Fold overhanging pastry over filling.
08 - Cover filling with 4 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter and tucking edges inside the pan. Top with last sheet of phyllo, brushed with butter.
09 - Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and crisp. Let rest for 10 minutes after baking.
10 - Dust pie top generously with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that makes people pause mid-conversation to ask what they're eating.
  • The sweet-savory combination is addictive in a way that feels sophisticated but completely unpretentious.
  • Once you master the technique, you'll have a showstopper for any dinner that doesn't require you to be in the kitchen all day.
02 -
  • Phyllo dries out faster than you think, so work quickly and keep unused sheets covered with a barely damp towel—not wet, or they'll become gluey.
  • The filling must be completely cool before assembly, or the heat will make the phyllo wilt before it hits the oven.
  • Don't skip the rest period after baking; it allows everything to set and makes serving clean slices possible instead of beautiful chaos.
03 -
  • Keep your melted butter warm but not hot while brushing phyllo—it should feel like it's coating the sheets with intention, not drowning them.
  • If you don't have saffron, the dish is still stunning without it, but the hesitation you feel about leaving it out tells you something worth knowing about yourself.
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