Moroccan Chicken Pastilla With Almonds and Cinnamon

Imperial November 14, 2026November 14, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Moroccan Chicken Pastilla with Almonds and Cinnamon is a festive, sweet-and-savory pie with saffron-spiced chicken, silky onion-and-egg filling, crunchy almonds, and a crisp phyllo shell.

Yield: 8 servings; one 9-inch pie
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Cooling and Resting Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes

Quick Ingredients

2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 large yellow onions (750 g), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (240 ml) unsalted chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, bloomed in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) boiling water
2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided: 1/2 teaspoon for the chicken, 1 teaspoon for the almonds, and 1/2 teaspoon for finishing
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided: 1 1/4 teaspoons for the chicken and 1/4 teaspoon for the almonds
4 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley and 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup (150 g) whole blanched almonds and 3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon orange blossom water, optional
12 large phyllo sheets, approximately 14 × 18 inches each, thawed; about 285 g total
8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons (16 g) powdered sugar, for finishing

Do This

1. Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 8 minutes. Cool, chop coarsely, and mix with the granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and optional orange blossom water.
2. Cook the onions in the olive oil for 25 minutes. Add ginger, turmeric, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and the remaining salt; stir for 1 minute. Add chicken, stock, saffron, and its soaking water.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 35 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove and shred the chicken.
4. Reduce the onion cooking liquid uncovered for about 15 minutes, until thick with no watery puddles. Stir in the herbs and beaten eggs; cook gently for 5 minutes, until set. Cool the chicken and onion-egg filling separately for 25 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line with 8 individually buttered phyllo sheets, leaving overhang. Layer in half the almonds, all the chicken, all the onion-egg filling, and the remaining almonds.
6. Fold the overhang inward, brushing with butter. Cover with the remaining 4 buttered phyllo sheets, trimmed into 10-inch circles, and tuck in their edges. Cut 3 small steam vents.
7. Bake for 45 minutes, until deeply golden and the center reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest for 10 minutes, unmold, and dust with powdered sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A memorable celebration dish: The golden pastry and cinnamon-sugar finish make a beautiful centerpiece.
Wonderful contrasts: Tender chicken, soft onions, delicate eggs, and crunchy almonds sit inside a shatteringly crisp crust.
Balanced sweet and savory flavors: Saffron, ginger, herbs, cinnamon, and a modest amount of sugar complement one another without making the filling taste like dessert.
Manageable in stages: Prepare the fillings ahead, then assemble and bake when you are ready to serve.

Grocery List

Produce: 3 large yellow onions, 1 small bunch fresh parsley, 1 small bunch fresh cilantro.
Dairy: 1 stick unsalted butter, 8 tablespoons (113 g).
Poultry and Eggs: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 4 large eggs.
Pantry: Olive oil, unsalted chicken stock, whole blanched almonds, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, fine sea salt, and optional orange blossom water.
Spices: Saffron threads, ground ginger, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, and ground black pepper.
Frozen Pastry: 1 package phyllo pastry containing at least 12 large sheets, approximately 14 × 18 inches each.

Full Ingredients

For the Saffron Chicken and Onion-Egg Filling

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large yellow onions (750 g), halved and thinly sliced
2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) boiling water, for blooming the saffron
1 cup (240 ml) unsalted chicken stock
4 large eggs, beaten until evenly combined
1/4 cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh cilantro

For the Cinnamon Almond Layer

1 cup (150 g) whole blanched almonds
3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon orange blossom water, optional

For the Phyllo Crust and Finishing

12 large phyllo sheets, approximately 14 × 18 inches each; about 285 g total, thawed according to the package instructions
8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, melted, for the pan and pastry
2 tablespoons (16 g) powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Moroccan Chicken Pastilla With Almonds and Cinnamon – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the saffron and cinnamon almonds

Place the crushed saffron in a small bowl, pour over the 2 tablespoons boiling water, and leave to bloom for at least 5 minutes. The water should turn a rich golden color.

Meanwhile, place the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden. Transfer to a plate and cool for 10 minutes. Chop finely with a knife or pulse briefly in a food processor to make coarse crumbs with a few small, crunchy pieces; do not grind into a paste.

Mix the almonds with the granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the optional orange blossom water. Set aside. You can prepare this mixture while the onions cook in the next step.

Step 2: Slowly caramelize the onions

Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until very soft and golden with lightly caramelized edges. Reduce the heat slightly if they begin to scorch; if necessary, loosen any browned patches with 1 tablespoon water.

Add the ginger, turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, black pepper, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken thighs, stock, and saffron with all its soaking water. Turn the chicken to coat it in the fragrant onions and spices.

Step 3: Gently simmer and shred the chicken

Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat, allowing approximately 4 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 35 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through. Keep the liquid gently bubbling rather than boiling hard.

The chicken should be tender and register at least 165°F (74°C) in its thickest part. Transfer it to a plate, leaving the onions and liquid in the pot. Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size strands, discarding any remaining gristle. Spread the shredded chicken in a shallow dish.

Step 4: Reduce the onions and gently set the eggs

Increase the heat under the pot to medium-high and cook uncovered for approximately 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced into a thick, glossy onion mixture. There should be no watery puddles, and a spoon drawn across the bottom should leave a visible trail for about 3 seconds. If needed, continue reducing for a few more minutes; a dry filling is essential for crisp pastry.

Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the parsley and cilantro, then slowly pour in the beaten eggs while stirring continuously. Cook for 5 minutes, folding and scraping gently, until the eggs form soft, fully set curds and no liquid egg remains. The mixture should reach 160°F (71°C).

Transfer the onion-egg mixture to a second shallow dish. Let it and the shredded chicken cool for 25 minutes, until no longer steaming. Do not put warm filling into the phyllo.

Step 5: Build the buttery phyllo shell

Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C), with a rack in the lower third. Place a sturdy baking sheet on the rack to preheat. Line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper, then lightly brush the base and sides with some of the melted butter.

Unroll the phyllo and keep it covered with plastic wrap topped by a barely damp kitchen towel. Brush 1 sheet lightly with melted butter and ease it into the pan, pressing gently into the base and up the sides, with its long ends hanging over the rim. Repeat with 7 more sheets, rotating each one so the overhang is distributed around the pan.

Sprinkle half the cinnamon almond mixture evenly over the base. Keep the remaining 4 phyllo sheets covered while you add the fillings.

Step 6: Layer the fillings and close the pie

Spread the shredded chicken evenly over the almonds. Spoon the onion-egg mixture over the chicken, gently leveling it without pressing hard. Finish with the remaining almond mixture.

Fold the overhanging phyllo inward over the filling, brushing the folded sections lightly with butter. Trim the remaining 4 sheets into approximately 10-inch circles, using a plate as a guide. Reserve the offcuts for another use.

Lay the 4 circles over the pie one at a time, brushing each with butter and gently tucking its edges down inside the pan. Brush the top with the remaining butter. Using a sharp knife, make 3 small, 1/2-inch-long steam vents through the top pastry only.

Step 7: Bake until deeply golden and crisp

Set the pan on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Begin checking the color after 35 minutes; if the top is already deeply golden, cover it loosely with foil for the remaining baking time.

The finished pastilla should be richly golden, crisp around the edges, and hot throughout, with the center reaching 165°F (74°C). If it has not reached that temperature, continue baking in 5-minute increments, protecting the top with foil as needed.

Step 8: Rest, decorate, and serve

Rest the pastilla in its pan for 10 minutes. Carefully release the springform ring and use a wide spatula to help slide the pie from its base onto a serving platter, removing the parchment if it releases easily.

Sift the powdered sugar lightly over the top, then finish with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. For a simple decorative finish, sift the cinnamon in narrow intersecting stripes to create a diamond pattern. Slice into 8 wedges with a sharp serrated knife and serve warm.

Pro Tips

Dry filling makes crisp pastry: Reduce the onion sauce thoroughly before adding the eggs. If liquid collects around the cooled chicken, leave it behind rather than pouring it into the pie.
Keep the phyllo protected: Exposed sheets become brittle quickly. A barely damp towel over plastic wrap keeps them covered without making the pastry wet.
Use light, even strokes of butter: Each sheet needs a thin coating, not a soaking. Small tears are harmless because the overlapping layers cover them.
Let the pie rest before cutting: The 10-minute rest helps the filling settle while preserving the crisp crust.
Keep the finishing sugar delicate: A light dusting balances the savory filling. A crisp green salad with lemon dressing is a lovely accompaniment.

Variations

Individual pastillas: Divide the filling and pastry among 8 buttered muffin cups in a jumbo muffin pan. Use overlapping buttered phyllo pieces to enclose each portion. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes, until golden and the centers reach 165°F (74°C).
Without cilantro: Replace the cilantro with an additional 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley.
A less-sweet finish: Reduce the almond-layer sugar to 2 tablespoons (25 g) and the powdered sugar topping to 1 tablespoon (8 g). Keep the cinnamon quantities unchanged.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Make ahead: Prepare the chicken and onion-egg fillings up to 1 day ahead. Cool them promptly in separate shallow containers and refrigerate, covered, at 40°F (4°C) or below. Store the almond mixture separately in an airtight container. Assemble just before baking to protect the phyllo from moisture. If using refrigerator-cold fillings, allow approximately 55 minutes of baking time and confirm that the center reaches 165°F (74°C).

Refrigerate: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and keep for up to 3 days. Cover once cooled. The pastry will soften in the refrigerator, but oven reheating helps restore its crispness.

Reheat: Place individual wedges on a baking sheet and heat at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes, until the centers reach 165°F (74°C). Cover loosely with foil if the pastry darkens too quickly, removing the foil for the final 5 minutes. Avoid microwaving if you want a crisp crust.

Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated for 1 of 8 servings, including the sugar topping. Values vary with the chicken, phyllo brand, and amount of butter retained.