Chicken B’stilla

Name: Chicken B’stilla
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 onion, chopped; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro leaves; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled, optional; One 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced; 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160), or water; Salt and black pepper to taste; 4 eggs, lightly beaten; 1/2 cup blanched almonds; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar; 1/2 pound (about 12 sheets) phyllo; 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus more as needed

December 14, 2011

This is something like a chicken pot pie, but far more exotic and quite wonderful. Like a chicken pot pie, it is serious work; it will keep you busy for a good solid hour. (You can, however, prepare the chicken filling and almond topping in advance and assemble it just before baking.) The sweet almond topping may deceive your guests into thinking it’s a dessert, but the savory chicken filling counters it perfectly. As always, when working with phyllo dough, make sure you keep the pieces that you are not working with covered with a damp towel; see Baklava (page 628) for more details.

Recipe notes

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