Chicken Pastilla with Cinnamon-Sugared Almonds

Name: Chicken Pastilla with Cinnamon-Sugared Almonds
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 2 lb boneless chicken thighs; 1 roll phyllo dough (about 10 sheets), thawed; ¾ cup slivered almonds; 4 eggs, beaten; 2 onions, finely chopped; ½ bunch parsley, chopped; ½ bunch cilantro, chopped; 6 tbsp butter, melted; 10 oz spring mix; 2 oranges, segmented; 2 tbsp oil; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp turmeric; 2 tsp cinnamon; 1 cinnamon stick; ½ tsp black pepper; 3 tbsp powdered sugar; 2 tbsp sugar; salt

DinnerMoroccan120 minServes 6720 kcal43 g protein

Photo: kochtopf · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Morocco's showpiece pie: saffron-and-ginger braised chicken with soft herbed eggs and crunchy sweet almonds wrapped in buttery, shattering phyllo and dusted with cinnamon sugar.

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Ingredients

2 lb boneless chicken thighs
1 roll phyllo dough (about 10 sheets), thawed
¾ cup slivered almonds
4 eggs, beaten
2 onions, finely chopped
½ bunch parsley, chopped
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
6 tbsp butter, melted
10 oz spring mix
2 oranges, segmented

From your pantry: 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 cinnamon stick, ½ tsp black pepper, 3 tbsp powdered sugar, 2 tbsp sugar, salt.

Instructions

Heat the oil in a pot over medium and toast the almonds until golden, 3 minutes. Drain and chop with the sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.
Cook the onions in the same pot 5 minutes, add the ginger, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon stick and 1 tsp salt, then the chicken and 1 cup water. Cover and simmer 35 to 40 minutes until very tender. Shred the chicken.
Boil the liquid until about ½ cup remains, pour in the eggs and herbs and stir gently until softly scrambled. Fold in the chicken and cool 10 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Brush a 10-inch skillet or pie dish with butter and layer 6 phyllo sheets, buttering each and letting them overhang. Add the chicken, then the almonds. Fold the overhang over and top with 4 more buttered sheets, tucking the edges under.
Bake until deep golden and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and the remaining cinnamon. Serve warm with the greens and oranges tossed in olive oil and salt.

Tip: The real thing is made with warqa pastry and often squab or a whole chicken; phyllo is the standard home substitute. A pinch of saffron in the braise gives the classic color.