Looking for a Valentine’s Day dish that feels both exotic and intimate? Julie Andrieu’s sun-kissed chicken pastilla blends North African spices, tender meat, and crisp brick pastry to create a memorable plate. It’s elegant, shareable, and built for savoring with someone special.
Ingredients for two — chicken pastilla recipe with brick pastry
- 2 free-range chicken thighs
- 2 sheets of brick pastry (feuilles de brick)
- 2 red onions
- 20 g preserved lemon (finely chopped)
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 eggs
- 3 pink olives (optional)
- 40 g chopped almonds (or flaked almonds)
- 1 tsp ras el hanout
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp fresh or powdered ginger
- a pinch of saffron threads
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- ½ bunch fresh coriander
- 2 stalks flat-leaf parsley
- 25 g clarified butter
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- a drizzle of olive oil
- salt and black pepper
How to prepare the chicken pastilla — step-by-step method
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet. Brown the chicken thighs on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Thinly slice the onions and garlic. Return skillet to medium heat and soften them with ras el hanout, ginger, cinnamon, and sugar.
- Slice the preserved lemon and olives, if using, into small pieces.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Add a splash of water, season with salt and pepper, then cover and simmer gently for about one hour.
- When cool enough, remove bones and roughly chop the cooked chicken. Place the shredded meat in a bowl.
- Toast the chopped lemon and olives a little in the pan with the onion mix. Stir in saffron dissolved in lemon juice, then add the raw eggs and whisk quickly.
- Pour the egg-onion mixture over the shredded chicken. Fold in chopped coriander, parsley, and the almonds. Dust with icing sugar and mix again.
- Stir in the orange blossom water for a floral finish. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Pour the clarified butter into a small bowl. Using a brush, coat each brick sheet generously with the butter.
- Lay one brick sheet flat. Spoon the chicken filling into the center, shaping it into a neat mound.
- Fold the pastry up around the filling to form a rose-like parcel. Wrap with the second buttered sheet to seal.
- Place the pastilla on a baking tray. Bake in a preheated fan oven at 200°C for 25 minutes, turning once halfway for even browning.
- Right out of the oven, sprinkle with icing sugar, a little ground cinnamon, and whole almonds. Julie advises: eat with your fingers — it tastes even better.
Clarified butter: why it’s used and a quick how-to
Clarified butter improves crispness and prevents soggy pastry. It also withstands higher heat than whole butter. Making it at home is simple and fast.
- Gently melt unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Let the foam rise to the surface and skim it off with a spoon.
- Once clear liquid remains, strain it through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bowl.
- Use immediately to brush pastry, or refrigerate in a sealed jar for later use.
Extra tips for a romantic Moroccan-inspired dinner
- Serve the pastilla warm on a shared platter to emphasize the convivial aspect.
- Add a simple salad of citrus segments and baby greens to cut richness.
- Swap almonds for pistachios for a greener, nuttier finish.
- Prepare two small pastillas instead of one large one for easier sharing and plating.
- Pair with a light red wine or a fragrant mint tea to complete the experience.
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