Chicken and Almond Pastilla

Ingredients

• 1 kg Boneless, skinless chicken (cut into medium pieces)
• 30 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pièce Onion (small, finely chopped)
• 0.5 tasse Fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 c. à café Ground turmeric
• 1 c. à café Salt (or to taste)
• 0.5 c. à café Ground black pepper
• 0.5 c. à café Ground ginger
• 0.1 g Saffron (a pinch)
• 300 ml Water
• 1 bâton Cinnamon stick
• 30 ml Honey (for the sauce and finishing)
• 3 pièces Eggs (beaten)
• 200 g Whole almonds (to toast, then coarsely chopped)
• 25 g Powdered sugar
• 5 ml Orange blossom water
• 0.5 c. à café Ground cinnamon
• 100 g Clarified butter (melted, without water)
• 12 pièces Brick pastry sheets (or phyllo) (defrosted)
• 1 pièce Egg yolk (for sealing the edges)
• 30 g Sliced almonds (for garnish, to fry)
• 1 c. à soupe Lemon (juice, for washing the chicken)

Instructions

1. Prepare the aromatics

   Finely chop the onion, parsley and lemon. Set aside in a bowl.

   Time: PT5M

2. Brown the chicken

   Heat the olive oil in the sauté pan, add the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides.

   Time: PT10M

3. Add the spices and liquid

   Stir in the turmeric, salt, pepper, ginger, saffron, cinnamon stick and pour in 300 ml water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

4. Reduce the sauce

   Remove the chicken pieces, set aside. Reduce the sauce over high heat for 20 minutes until it reaches a syrupy consistency.

   Time: PT20M

5. Incorporate the honey and eggs

   Add the honey to the reduced sauce, then slowly stream in the beaten eggs while gently stirring over low heat until a thick omelette layer forms.

   Time: PT5M

6. Fry the whole almonds

   Heat a thin stream of oil in a small pan and brown the whole almonds until golden, then drain.

   Time: PT5M

7. Prepare the fragrant almond mixture

   In the processor, blend the toasted almonds with powdered sugar, orange blossom water and cinnamon until a coarsely chopped paste forms.

   Time: PT5M

8. Brush the brick pastry sheets

   Melt the butter, clarify it by removing the water, then brush each brick sheet on both sides with the clarified butter.

   Time: PT10M

9. Assemble the pastilla

   In a 32 cm dish, lay half of the sheets overlapping slightly. Add a layer of chicken, then the omelette‑sauce layer, finally the almond mixture. Cover with the remaining sheets, brush the top with the egg yolk and fold the edges to form a rosette.

   Time: PT15M

10. Bake

    Preheat the oven to 160°C. Bake the pastilla for 30 minutes until the surface is golden and crisp.

    Time: PT30M

    Temperature: 160°C

11. Decorate and finish

    Fry the sliced almonds for 5 minutes, drain, then brush the surface of the pastilla with melted honey. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon.

    Time: PT5M

12. Serve

    Let rest for 5 minutes, carefully invert the pastilla onto a serving platter, cut into triangular pieces and enjoy hot.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

450

Protein

25 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

25 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Boneless, skinless chicken: turkey, duck
• Instead of Extra virgin olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Fresh parsley: coriander
• Instead of Saffron: food coloring
• Instead of Honey: agave syrup
• Instead of Eggs: silken tofu (for vegan version)
• Instead of Whole almonds: cashews
• Instead of Powdered sugar: granulated sugar
• Instead of Orange blossom water: vanilla extract
• Instead of Clarified butter: olive oil
• Instead of Brick pastry sheets (or phyllo): phyllo dough
• Instead of Egg yolk: milk

Equipment Needed

• Sauté pan or pot
• Food processor / blender
• Frying pan
• 32 cm round baking dish
• Kitchen brush
• Oven
• Mixing bowl(s)
• Whisk
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Silicone spatula

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Brown the chicken
• Add the spices and liquid
• Reduce the sauce
• Incorporate the honey and eggs
• Brush the brick sheets
• Assemble the pastilla
• Bake

Chef Tips from the Video

• Using clarified butter gives a more uniform browning and prevents the sheets from becoming soggy.
• Saffron adds color and aroma; do not overcook it to avoid bitterness.
• A drizzle of honey on the surface just before serving adds extra shine and sweetness.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the uncooked pastilla, well covered, for up to 2 days. Once baked, keep in the refrigerator for 2‑3 days.

Freezer: The raw pastilla can be frozen, wrapped in plastic film then aluminum foil, for up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the chicken‑based sauce and let it cool; store in the refrigerator for 24 h before assembly.
• The fragrant almond mixture keeps airtight for 2 days.
• Assemble the pastilla ahead of time and refrigerate before the final bake.