Chicken bricks with preserved lemon and small vegetables

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons Olive oil (extra virgin, for cooking and marinating)
• 1 piece Onion (medium, finely chopped)
• 2 pieces Carrots (cut into small dice)
• 1 piece Zucchini (cut into small dice)
• 150 g Frozen peas (not thawed)
• 400 g Chicken breast (cut into small pieces, marinated 1 h)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Paprika (for the marinade and cooking)
• 2 pieces Preserved lemons (cut into small pieces)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh mint leaves (chopped)
• 0.5 teaspoon Curry powder
• 2 tablespoons Thick crème fraîche
• 1 piece Egg white (lightly beaten)
• 2 tablespoons Melted butter (for brushing the bricks)
• 10 pieces Brick pastry sheets (half a sheet per brick)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Pepper

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken

   Mix the chicken diced with lemon juice, 1 tsp paprika and 1 tbsp olive oil. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

   Time: PT1H

2. Prepare the vegetables

   Thinly slice the onion, cut the carrots and zucchini into very small dice. Measure 150 g frozen peas.

   Time: PT15M

3. Sauté the onions

   Heat the wok with 2 tbsp olive oil, add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

   Time: PT3M

4. Cook carrots and zucchini

   Add the carrot and zucchini dice, stir, cover the wok and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring regularly until tender.

   Time: PT20M

5. Add peas and season

   Add the frozen peas, salt and pepper to taste, cover again and cook 10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

6. Cook the chicken and preserved lemons

   Pour the marinated chicken and preserved lemon pieces into the wok, cover and cook 10 minutes over medium heat until the chicken is cooked but still tender.

   Time: PT10M

7. Finish the filling

   Add the chopped mint, remaining paprika, curry and crème fraîche. Stir and cook an additional 3 minutes.

   Time: PT3M

8. Cool the filling

   Remove the wok from heat and let the filling cool to room temperature for 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

9. Shape the bricks

   Take half a brick sheet, fold it in half lengthwise, place a spoonful of filling at one end and fold into a triangle, sealing lightly. Brush the tip with egg white and close by pressing the tip under the triangle fold.

   Time: PT20M

10. Brush the bricks

    Arrange the bricks on a baking sheet, brush generously with melted butter on both sides using a brush.

    Time: PT5M

11. Preheat the oven

    Preheat the oven to 190°C on convection mode with the grill on top and bottom.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: 190°C

12. Bake

    Place the bricks in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until golden and crisp.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 190°C

13. Rest and serve

    Remove the bricks from the oven, place on a rack for 5 minutes then serve hot, ideally with a lemon‑mint yogurt sauce.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

15 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil, rapeseed oil
• Instead of Carrots: squash
• Instead of Zucchini: eggplant
• Instead of Frozen peas: fresh peas
• Instead of Chicken breast: turkey, tofu
• Instead of Fresh lemon juice: apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Paprika: sweet paprika
• Instead of Preserved lemons: lemon zest
• Instead of Fresh mint leaves: basil
• Instead of Curry powder: garam masala
• Instead of Thick crème fraîche: Greek yogurt
• Instead of Egg white: milk
• Instead of Melted butter: olive oil
• Instead of Brick pastry sheets: phyllo dough

Equipment Needed

• Wok
• Chef's knife
• cutting board
• wooden spatula
• mixing bowl
• kitchen brush
• baking sheet
• cooling rack
• oven

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Marinate the chicken
• Cook carrots and zucchini until tender
• Cook the chicken until fully done
• Seal the bricks with egg white
• Bake to achieve golden color

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use high‑quality preserved lemon for authentic flavor.
• Add a pinch of sugar to the filling if the preserved lemon is very acidic.
• Brush the bricks with melted butter rather than oil for richer crispness.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the bricks in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Package the bricks individually and freeze up to 2 months.

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

Make-Ahead Tips

• Marinate the chicken the day before for more flavor.
• Prepare the filling and let it cool, then shape the bricks and freeze before baking.
• The lemon‑mint yogurt sauce can be prepared 24 hours ahead.