Moroccan Chicken Pastilla

Moroccan Chicken Pastilla—also known as bastilla—is a crisp, golden pie made with juicy chicken thighs, ras el hanout, preserved lemon, and layers of thin phyllo(fylo) pastry. Traditionally served at weddings and special occasions, it’s known for its flaky texture and aromatic filling.

📝 Ingredients

• 800 grams chicken (boneless skinless thighs)
• 400 grams onions (finely chopped)
• 120 grams fresh ginger (or 1 tbsp dried ginger)
• 25 grams garlic (or 1/2 tsp dried garlic)
• 250 grams chicken stock (or water)
• 8 grams sugar
• 6 grams salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ras el hanout
• 40 grams preserved lemon (finely chopped)
• 6 phyllo pastry sheets (thawed)
• 20 grams butter (olive oil, or smen)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Quick recipe overview ---
2. 2Sear chicken, cook aromatics, add spices + preserved lemon, simmer. Layer buttered phyllo, fill, fold, bake until golden and crisp!
3. 3--- Making the filling ---
4. 4Sear the chicken — Trim any cartilage or bone fragments from skinless, boneless chicken thighs. Sear in a hot pan with oil or clarified butter until golden on both sides. Set aside.
5. 5Cook the aromatics — In the same pan, add finely chopped onions, minced fresh ginger, and garlic. Stir well, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken. Cook gently over medium heat until soft and fragrant.
6. 6Simmer the base — Add a splash of chicken stock to deglaze, then stir in chopped seared chicken along with any juices. Add ras el hanout, cinnamon, preserved lemon (finely chopped), and a small pinch of sugar. Let simmer until most of the moisture has cooked off and the mix is rich but not dry.
7. 7Taste and cool — Adjust seasoning if needed. The filling should be juicy but not wet.
8. 8--- Assembling and baking the pie ---
9. 9Prep your skillet — Preheat the oven to 200 °C (392 °F). Use a 25 cm (9.8 inch) cast iron skillet or ovenproof pan. Lightly brush the inside with melted butter or oil.
10. 10Layer the phyllo — Lay out a sheet of thawed phyllo pastry. Brush with melted butter, oil, or smen. Repeat with three more sheets, stacking and rotating slightly to create an overhang. Place into the skillet, so the edges hang over the sides.
11. 11Fill and fold — Spoon the chicken filling into the center of the phyllo. Top with one more buttered sheet, folded in half or quarters to seal the middle. Fold over the edges of the phyllo to encase the filling.
12. 12Bake until golden — Bake for 30 minutes or until deeply golden and crisp. If not using a skillet, flip the pie halfway through to brown both sides evenly. Once cooked, optionally sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon before serving.