Bisteeya Recipe

Prep Time:

1 hr

Cook Time:

2 hrs

Total Time:

3 hrs 30 mins

Servings:

12

Making bisteeya, the fragrant, spiced Moroccan chicken pie, may take some time, but it is so worth the effort. Our recipe is a streamlined version made by layering a spiced chicken-preserved lemon mixture with rich, savory eggs and sugary, spiced almonds in flaky phyllo dough to form a pie. After being baked to golden perfection, it's topped with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon, resulting in a sweet and savory showstopper that's as unique as it is delicious. This bisteeya makes plenty of portions and can be served in smaller slices as an appetizer or in larger pieces as the main course. It’s a fun project and challenge that is sure to impress when it reaches the table.

Working with Phyllo Dough

Thin, delicate phyllo dough may look intimidating but working with it is actually quite easy. The trick is to keep any sheets you're not actively working with covered in plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, which will keep them from drying out.

As you layer phyllo dough for this recipe—and when you use it for other recipes like baklava and spanakopita—you'll want to brush each layer with clarified butter (or, sometimes another fat like olive oil), which helps the layers bake up light and crispy.

Instead of making your own clarified butter, use ghee to brush on the phyllo sheets. You'll need to melt it before using.

Make Ahead

To cut down on day-of prep time, cook and shred the chicken up to one day ahead. Be sure to hang onto the stock, as you'll need it for the egg mixture. Bring it back up to a simmer before adding the eggs and cooking until thick and no longer wet.

Directions

Season chicken:

Place chicken in a large bowl along with garlic, salt, pepper, ginger, saffron, turmeric, and cinnamon sticks; set aside.
Sauté onion; add chicken and water and cook:

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute onion. Add chicken mixture and enough water to cover chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.
Toast almonds in oil; add sugar and cinnamon:

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan. Add almonds and cook, stirring until browned. Remove from heat and let cool. Add confectioners' sugar and ground cinnamon; stir to combine. Set aside.
Remove chicken and bones from stock; cook egg mixture:

Remove chicken and all bones from stock. Add lemon juice. Beat eggs and whisk into stock. Cook until thick and dry. Fold in parsley and cilantro; set aside.
Shred chicken; add preserved lemons:

Remove and discard bones and skin from chicken, reserving meat. Shred with your fingers into small pieces (not larger than 1 inch, and preferably in shreds rather than chunks). Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in preserved lemons and set aside.
Preheat oven and prep pan:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 10-by-2-inch round cake pan with clarified butter.
Layer phyllo in cake pan:

Working with 1 sheet of phyllo at a time, place in cake pan, leaving edges to overhang pan. Brush with clarified butter before adding the next sheet in an overlapping circular pattern. Repeat process using 6 to 8 sheets of phyllo and clarified butter to cover bottom of pan.
Layer chicken, almond, and egg mixtures; fold phyllo over filling:

Top evenly with half of shredded chicken mixture. Cover chicken with half of almond mixture. Top this with half of egg mixture, then repeat layering process with remaining ingredients. Then take overhanging phyllo and fold toward center of pan.
Top with more phyllo and butter; chill:

With another 6 to 8 sheets of phyllo and clarified butter, repeat overlapping circular pattern. Using scissors, trim a little excess phyllo. Tuck overhanging edges under the pie. Brush phyllo with clarified butter. Chill at least 30 minutes.
Score phyllo; bake:

Using a sharp knife, score phyllo in a diamond pattern. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. If pie is not golden brown, increase oven temperature to 375°F and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Dust with sugar and cinnamon; serve:

Remove from oven and dust with confectioners' sugar and, using your fingers, sprinkle with ground cinnamon in a decorative pattern. Slice and serve.

What to Serve With Bisteeya

Bisteeya can be served as a first course, to be followed by a couscous or tagine entrée, or as the main course itself. To complement the rich, fragrant pie, we recommend serving it alongside a bright and crunchy salad like this carrot salad with dates and sunflower seeds or this shredded beet and carrot combination.