Chicken Pastilla (Moroccan Chicken Pie)

Chicken pastilla is a type of Moroccan chicken pie wrapped in a crispy, flaky crust, with a unique sweet and nutty twist. These will change the way you think about sweet and savory!

A journey into Morocco

The old city of Fez is one of a kind. The shady streets were built so narrowly that no car could drive through, keeping the old allies like they have been for centuries.

After spending a week in Coastal Casablanca, the Fassi walls of brownish stone and the houses' old wooden carvings seem to emerge from a different dimension of time.

Between the alleys, treasures of culture can be found.

Centuries-old Islamic schools, tea houses, and sweet shops stand in every corner. The latter is where I got to try my first pastilla.

Pastilla and Moroccan sweet shops

Sweet shops in Morocco are colorful and full of history. Pastries and confections made of nuts, dates, and (honestly) a lot of sugar dominate the shelves, with an odor of orange blossom water in the air.

Once in a while, as I'm strolling the old allies, I will stop by a sweet shop for a snack and a glimpse of Moroccan culture. One time, as I entered, a round phyllo pastry, about the size of my palm, caught my eye.

"What is this?" I asked the shop owner.

"Chicken pastilla, really good", he replied.

I became instantly curious. Why? Because I had never tackled a chicken dish with powdered sugar on it. I bought one piece, along with some other confections.

The first bite caught me unprepared, as the sweetness of the outer layer complimented the savory and nutty filling in a way that I'd never deemed possible. Looking back, I reckon that the cinnamon powder acted as the pivot, creating a synergy between the sweet and the savory.

What is chicken pastilla made of?

A week later, when I visited the Culinary Museum of Marrakech, I learned that chicken pastilla is indeed a sort of traditional phyllo pastry. It is made with layers of Warqa (lit. leaf) phyllo-like sheets, wrapping a filling that consists of three layers:

• Shredded chicken (or pigeon, which is more traditional), stewed with spices such as ginger, saffron (affiliate link), and cinnamon.
• Eggs, scrambled in the residual sauce of the chicken stew.
• Ground almonds, flavored with cinnamon and sugar powder.

How to make pastilla

To assemble the pastilla, several Warqa sheets are layered on each other and spread with clarified butter between the layers. Then the filling components are added on top and wrapped within the Warqa.

To seal the pastry and cook the Warqa, the pastilla is flipped over (seam side down) and baked.

It is eventually garnished with powdered sugar and cinnamon, and ready to be served.

The size of a pastilla can vary according to the cook's preference and the number of diners. While I had a small, personal pastilla in Fez, it can also be prepared in the size of a large cake, to feed a whole family.

Regional variations of Moroccan pastilla

Various regional versions of pastilla can be found all around Morocco.

While the Pastilla is relatively sweet in Fez, the Tétouan-syle pastilla is more on the tangy side.

Sephardic Jewish communities in Morocco and the diaspora have also been indulging pastilla for generations, but refrain from mixing meat and dairy (due to Jewish dietary laws). Hence, their ingredients can vary quite a bit.

In the coastal areas of Morocco, a seafood pastilla is commonly made. Shrimp, olives, and vermicelli noodles are used for the filling, making the flavor profile of the dish significantly different. But this is a recipe for another day.

Substitutions for special ingredients in pastilla

Feel free to adjust the sweet-and-savory balance to your liking, as well as the size of the pastry.

Warqa sheets can be found in North African grocery stores. But if you can't find them, you can easily substitute them with phyllo sheets.

Flavoring ingredients such as gum arabic and orange blossom water (affiliate links) might be hard to find, but I would definitely make an effort and walk that extra mile, as they add a unique aroma to the dish and truly make a difference.

Other flakey pastries

If you like phyllo-style pastries, be sure to try Greek cheese pies, tiropita, and Greek chicken pie, kotopita. You are sure to enjoy them!

Continue to Content

Yield: 9 large palm-sized pastilla

Chicken Pastilla (Moroccan Chicken Pie)

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Chicken pastilla is a type of Moroccan chicken pie wrapped in a crispy, flaky crust, with a unique sweet and nutty twist.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken filling

• 4 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch saffron, soaked in lukewarm water (optional)
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1.5 teaspoon gum Arabic (optional)
• 600 g (approx. 1 lb 5 oz) bone-in chicken
• 1-2 cups water

For the egg filling

• 1 tablespoon clarified butter
• 4 eggs
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water (optional)

For the almond filling

• 1 cup whole almonds
• 2 tablespoon clarified butter
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt

To assemble the Pastilla

• 9-10 round Warqa sheets*, palm sized or a bit larger (always have a few spare ones in hand, in case you need more layers of warqa to seal the Pastilla)
• Vegetable oil (to oil the folding surface)
• Clarified butter (to brush the Warqa with)
• Egg white (to close off the edges of the Warqa)

To finish

• Powdered sugar, to garnish
• Cinnamon powder, to garnish
• Toasted almonds, to garnish

Instructions

For the chicken filling

1. Heat 4 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan or pot.
   Add the chopped onions and stir fry on low heat until translucent.
2. Add the salt, black pepper, turmeric powder, ginger powder, and ground cinnamon. Stir.
3. Add saffron (if using), parsley, cilantro, and gum Arabic (if using). Stir again.
4. Add the chicken and mix to incorporate it with the rest of the ingredients. Add a cup of water, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes. (Add more water if needed.)
5. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot. Let it cool. (Leave the sauce in the pan.)
6. Once the chicken has cooled to the touch, pull the meat off of the bone, shred it, and set it aside.

For the egg filling

1. In the same pan/pot from your chicken, with the sauce that is left, heat a tablespoon of clarified butter.
2. Add in the eggs and scramble until cooked.
3. Add a pinch of cinnamon powder and orange blossom water (if desired). Set aside.

For the almond filling

1. In another, clean pan, add the whole almonds and toast them over low heat, until a nutty aroma is released.
2. Once toasted, roughly pound or grind the almonds with a mortar, food processor, or blender.
3. Return the almonds to the pan, add the clarified butter, orange blossom water, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt. Mix to coat the almonds.
4. Toast on a low heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Assembling the Pastilla

1. Preheat your oven to 190C°/380F°.
2. Oil a clean surface with vegetable oil. This is where you will assemble your dish.
3. Brush all the Warqa sheets with clarified butter. (Make sure the brushed side always faces the outside as you assemble the Pastilla.)
4. Lay two brushed sheets of Warqa on top of each other (brushed side down).***
5. Spread your fillings in the center, while leaving a few inches around the edges as a margin. First, spread the egg filling, then the chicken, and then top it with a layer of the sugared ground almonds.
6. Place another Warqa sheet over the top of the Pastilla (brushed side facing out).
7. Fold two opposite sides of the Warqa sheets towards each other, and seal them by brushing the meeting edges with egg white. Repeat the same process with the remaining opposite sides, so the pastry is completely sealed.
8. Flip the Pastilla, so the sealed edge is at the bottom, and place on a greased baking tray.
9. Repeat with your remaining ingredients until all sheets and filling have been used.
10. Bake in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
11. Remove from the oven and garnish the Pastilla with powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, and toasted almond.
12. Enjoy!

Notes

*Clarified butter is traditional, however, un-clarified butter will work just fine.
**Warqa pastry can be substituted with phyllo pastry.
***You can make your Pastilla as large or small as you like – palm-sized (or smaller) to serving plate-sized (or larger). Make sure you start with two full layers of pastry sheet on the bottom, brushed with butter between each layer. And make sure you have enough unfilled space around the edges to seal your pastry at the end of filling.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Saffron
• 
  Orange Blossom Water for Baking
• 
  Gum Arabic Powder [Acacia Gum]

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

9

Serving Size:

1 of 9 pastilla
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 473

Oz

Oz is originally from central Israel, and is currently based in Amsterdam. Alongside being a jazz musician, he is a dedicated foodie and a professional chef. He has traveled the world since 2021, exploring some of his favourite cuisines such as Thai, Greek, Moroccan and much more! His favourite way to travel is going to food markets and venues, interacting with the local people and hearing their stories through food. He is inspired by the unbreakable bond between a culture and culinary traditions. By travelling and eating, he enjoys witnessing how food can influence and be influenced by history and cultural exchange.