Golden Chicken Bastilla with Orange Mint Salad

Golden Chicken Bastilla with Orange Mint Salad

An exquisite Moroccan savory pie featuring layers of flaky phyllo pastry filled with tender spiced chicken, scrambled eggs, toasted almonds, and a touch of saffron, finished with a dusting of cinnamon and powdered sugar, complemented by a bright, refreshing orange and mint salad.

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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
  2. Add the finely chopped yellow onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the 1/2 cup of fresh parsley, 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and the saffron threads steeped in water. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Return the chicken to the pot. Add the 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over medium-low heat for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender and easily shreddable. Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it using two forks, and set aside. Keep the cooking liquid in the pot.
  4. Reduce the heat under the pot to low. Stir in the 6 beaten large eggs into the hot cooking liquid. Cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs scramble and absorb most of the liquid, forming a soft, curdy mixture. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine the shredded chicken, the cooked egg mixture, 1 cup of toasted and chopped blanched slivered almonds, and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Mix well. This is your bastilla filling.
  6. Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously grease a 10-inch round baking dish or cast iron skillet with melted unsalted butter. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the dish, allowing excess to hang over the sides. Brush generously with melted butter. Repeat with 4-5 more sheets of phyllo, rotating each sheet slightly to cover the dish, overlapping and buttering each layer, until the bottom and sides are well-lined and overhanging.
  7. Spread half of the chicken-egg-almond filling evenly over the phyllo layers. Lay 2-3 more sheets of phyllo directly on top of the filling, buttering each. Add the remaining filling. Top with 2-3 more buttered phyllo sheets. Fold the overhanging phyllo edges neatly over the top, brushing each flap with butter as you go, to create a sealed package.
  8. Place 4-5 more sheets of phyllo on top, brushing each with butter and tucking the edges under the pie to create a smooth, round top. Brush the top liberally with butter. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. If it starts to brown too quickly, lightly tent with foil.
  9. While the bastilla bakes, prepare the orange mint salad. In a medium bowl, combine the 2 peeled and sliced navel oranges with 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced fresh mint, 1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Gently toss.
  10. Once baked, remove the bastilla from the oven. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Just before serving, dust generously with powdered sugar and an additional pinch of ground cinnamon. Serve hot with the fresh orange mint salad on the side.

Notes

Phyllo dough dries out quickly, so keep any unused sheets covered with a damp towel while working. Ensure each layer is buttered for maximum flakiness.

Nutrition (per serving)