Bastilla, B'stilla, Bastila, Moroccan chicken pie
This moroccan chicken pastilla recipe makes the classic Fes festive pie: poached chicken shredded into a saffron and ginger sauce, folded with a spiced egg filling and sugared almonds, then wrapped in crisp phyllo pastry and baked until golden. It is dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon, and cut into wedges at the table. One serving is about 300 g.
Pastilla, also spelled bastilla or bstilla, is the festive pie of Fes, Morocco's old imperial city. Its roots reach back to the Andalusi cuisine brought by Muslim families who fled Spain, and its most famous home is Fes, where it is served at weddings and celebrations as a starter. The classic filling was squab, but chicken is now the usual choice. The pie's signature is its sweet-savoury contrast: spiced chicken and egg under sugared almonds, all wrapped in warqa, a paper-thin pastry made by dabbing batter onto a hot pan. Phyllo is the common substitute outside Morocco.
Pairs well with: Serve as a starter or main with mint tea; a light salad on the side.
Provenance
Morocco
Fes Festive Classic
Middle Eastern
Time Dedication
1h 30m
30m prep • 60m cook
Batch Yield
6 Servings
638 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 300 g
Technical Skill
Advanced
Advanced (Layered Pie)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Hearty Midday Main
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Fes Festive Classic
Photo: Weetjesman, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)
A true pastilla is judged by its contrast: shattering crisp pastry, sweet cinnamon and almond against warm, saffron-spiced chicken.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Poach, Shred & Layer
30 Mins
Poach the chicken thighs in stock with the onion, ginger, turmeric, saffron and ras el hanout until cooked through, then lift out and shred. Reduce the poaching liquid, stir in the beaten eggs and cook until it thickens into a soft scramble, then fold in the parsley. Toast and grind the almonds with sugar and orange blossom water. Butter a 28 cm round tin and lay out the phyllo, keeping it covered with a damp cloth.
Maestro Tip: Make the three fillings first and let them cool: warm filling steams the phyllo and makes it soggy.
25 Mins Simmer, about 95°C (203°F)
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, soften half the onion for 3 minutes, then add the chicken, stock, ginger, turmeric, saffron with its water, ras el hanout and salt. Simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) inside. Lift the chicken out and shred it with two forks.
Poach, do not boil: a hard boil toughens the chicken and clouds the sauce.
Done when: The chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
10 Mins Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Melt 30 g of the butter in the pot, add the remaining onion and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the reduced poaching liquid and the beaten eggs, then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the eggs set into a soft, thick scramble. Stir in the parsley and 20 g of the sugar and 1 tsp of the cinnamon. Cool completely.
Stir without stopping: the eggs must set into a thick paste, not a dry scramble, and the filling must be dry enough not to soak the pastry.
Done when: A thick, soft egg filling that holds its shape on a spoon.
5 Mins Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Toast the almonds in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant, then cool. Grind coarsely with 20 g of the sugar and the orange blossom water — not to a paste, but to a coarse, sandy crumble.
Coarse is right: a fine almond paste makes the layer heavy and greasy.
Done when: A golden, coarse almond crumble that smells of orange blossom.
15 Mins Room temperature
Butter a 28 cm round tin. Lay 6 phyllo sheets across the tin, buttering each one and letting the edges hang over the sides. Spread the chicken in an even layer, then the egg filling, then the almond crumble. Fold the overhanging pastry over the top, then lay 4 more buttered sheets on top, tucking the edges under. Brush the top generously with melted butter.
Butter every sheet: the butter is what makes phyllo shatter into crisp layers in the oven.
Done when: A neat, round pie with the filling sealed inside and a buttered top.
30 Mins 180°C (350°F)
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and crisp all over. Rest for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Dust generously with icing sugar and the remaining cinnamon in a criss-cross pattern. Cut into wedges and serve warm.
Rest the pie before cutting: the filling needs 10 minutes to set, or it runs out of the slices.
Done when: Deep golden, crisp and shattering at the edges, with a sweet cinnamon dusting.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the pastilla warm, cut into wedges at the table, with mint tea — the first bite should be crisp pastry, then sweet cinnamon and almond, then the warm, spiced chicken.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
638
kcal / serving
Protein
36g
Complete AA
Carbs
51g
Complex
Fats
33g
Healthy
| Energy | 638 kcal |
| Protein | 36 g |
| Carbohydrates | 51 g |
| Fat | 33 g |
| Fibre | 6.1 g |
| Sugar | 13.3 g |
| Sodium | 729 mg |
| Energy | 213 kcal |
| Protein | 12.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17.1 g |
| Fat | 10.8 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
| Sugar | 4.4 g |
| Sodium | 243 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B6 and niacin (chicken), vitamin E (almonds), vitamin A (egg yolk, butter), iron (chicken, almonds), vitamin C (parsley). Nutrition values are estimated.
High in Protein
About 36 g of protein per serving from chicken, egg and almonds makes one wedge a substantial, filling main course.
Sweet and Savoury in One Bite
Cinnamon, sugar and almonds against saffron chicken is the Moroccan sweet-savoury balance — the sugar is part of the flavour, not a topping.
A Showpiece You Can Make Ahead
The pie can be assembled in advance and baked when guests arrive, so the host is free while it turns golden in the oven.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Drinks
Mint Tea
Hot mint tea is the classic partner: its sweetness and mint cut through the rich pastry and refresh the palate between wedges.
Vegetables
Light Green Salad
A simple salad with lemon dressing is the fresh counterpoint to the rich, buttery pie.
Soups
Harira Soup
In Morocco, pastilla is often served as a starter before a soup like harira — the pie is the celebration, the soup is the comfort.
More Pairings
Orange Slices with Cinnamon
Fresh orange slices dusted with cinnamon echo the pie's flavours and finish the meal lightly.
Complete menu
Pastilla cut into wedges with a light green salad and hot mint tea, served as a starter or a main.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
A Wet Filling
If the egg filling is not cooked thick enough, the pastry goes soggy from the inside and the pie falls apart when cut. Cook the filling until it holds its shape on a spoon. This is general cooking advice, not medical advice.
Leaving the Phyllo Uncovered
Phyllo dries out and cracks within minutes in the air, and cracked sheets cannot be layered. Keep it under a damp cloth the whole time you work. This is general cooking advice, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
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