Moroccan Chicken Briouats with Almonds

Name: Moroccan Chicken Briouats with Almonds
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: ⅔ cup (100 g) whole blanched almonds, toasted and cooled, then coarsely chopped; 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) yellow onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp (4 g) fresh ginger, finely grated; ¼ tsp (0.3 g) saffron threads, lightly crumbled between your fingers; 3 tbsp (45 ml) hot water, just off the boil; 1 tsp (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ½ tsp (1½ g) ground turmeric; 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; ¼ cup (60 ml) chicken broth; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped, leaves and tender stems; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp (21 g) honey; 16 sheets (320 g) phyllo dough sheets (9×14 inch / 23×36 cm), thawed, kept covered with a damp towel; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 2 tbsp (15 g) confectioners' sugar (optional); ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon, for dusting (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, golden phyllo triangles filled with saffron-scented chicken, toasted almonds, cinnamon and fresh herbs, baked instead of fried for a lighter take on the classic Moroccan party pastry.

Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 43 min
Total: 2 hr 28 min
Makes: 24 briouats (3 per serving)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the filling
⅔ cup (100 g) whole blanched almonds, toasted and cooled, then coarsely chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (4 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
¼ tsp (0.3 g) saffron threads, lightly crumbled between your fingers
3 tbsp (45 ml) hot water, just off the boil
1 tsp (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (1.5 g) ground turmeric
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
¼ cup (60 ml) chicken broth
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped, leaves and tender stems
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (21 g) honey
For assembly
16 sheets (320 g) phyllo dough sheets (9×14 inch / 23×36 cm), thawed, kept covered with a damp towel
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
To finish
2 tbsp (15 g) confectioners' sugar (optional)
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon, for dusting (optional)

Equipment (8)

2 large rimmed baking sheets (about 13×18 inches / 33×46 cm)
Parchment paper
Large 12-inch (30 cm) skillet with a lid
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Pastry brush
Instant-read thermometer
Clean kitchen towel
Small bowl for melted butter

Steps

Before you start

Thaw frozen phyllo in the refrigerator overnight (about 8 hours), then leave it sealed on the counter for 30 minutes before using. Phyllo thawed too quickly turns gummy and sticks together.
Melt the butter and have a damp (not wet) clean kitchen towel ready before you open the phyllo. Phyllo dries out and cracks within minutes of exposure.
The filling must be completely cool before you fold, or it will steam and soften the phyllo from the inside.
This recipe uses 9×14-inch (23×36 cm) phyllo sheets. If yours are a different size, cut strips about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide and about 14 inches (36 cm) long.

1
Toast the almonds
- Set a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the almonds and toast, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate to cool for a few minutes, then chop coarsely into pieces about the size of a lentil to a pea.
- Wipe out the skillet.
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Ready when: Almonds are light golden at the edges and smell nutty.
Tip: Almonds go from golden to burnt quickly. Move them to a cool plate as soon as they color.
2
Prep chicken and saffron
- Crumble the saffron into the hot water in a small bowl and let it steep while you work.
- Cut the chicken into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
- Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
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Ready when: The saffron water turns deep orange-gold.
3
Soften the aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and ¼ tsp of the salt and cook, stirring, for 6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and pepper and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn pale gold; spices smell toasty.
Tip: Lower the heat if the spices start sticking to the pan.
4
Simmer the chicken
- Add the chicken, the saffron water with its threads, the broth and the remaining ¾ tsp salt.
- Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
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Ready when: Chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece and the pan is nearly dry with a thick, glossy coating on the chicken.
Tip: A wet filling makes soggy pastry, so don't stop until the pan is nearly dry.
5
Finish and cool the filling
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and chop or shred with two forks into fine, small pieces.
- Return to a large bowl and stir in the almonds, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice and honey.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
- Spread the filling on a large plate and let it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes (or 10 minutes in the refrigerator).
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Ready when: Filling feels cool, not warm, to the touch and holds together when pressed in a spoon.
Tip: The filling should clump when squeezed. If it seems dry, add a teaspoon of olive oil or broth.
6
Preheat and set upOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Melt the butter in a small bowl.
- Unroll the phyllo, stack the sheets flat and cover with a damp towel.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 375°F (190°C).
Tip: The towel should be just damp; a wet towel makes the phyllo tear and stick.
7
Cut the phyllo strips
- Working with 4 sheets at a time (keep the rest covered), lay the stack with the 14-inch side running away from you.
- Cut across the 9-inch width into 3 strips each about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide and 14 inches long.
- Cover the strips with the damp towel.
- Repeat with the remaining sheets for 48 strips total.
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Ready when: You have 48 even strips.
Tip: Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter and cut with a firm downward motion instead of sawing, so the edges stay clean.
8
Fill and fold triangles
- Place one strip on the counter with a short end toward you and brush it lightly with butter.
- Top with a second strip and brush the top lightly.
- Put a heaping tablespoon (about 20 g) of filling on the bottom end, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the edge.
- Fold the bottom-left corner over the filling to meet the right edge, forming a triangle.
- Keep folding the triangle up the strip, like folding a flag, until you reach the end.
- Tuck any leftover tail under, brush the top with butter and place seam-side down on the lined baking sheet.
- Repeat to make 24, spacing them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
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Ready when: Each triangle is snug with no filling peeking out and the layers are sealed with butter.
Tip: Don't overfill. A heaping tablespoon is the maximum or the seams will burst in the oven.
9
Bake until goldenOven 375°F / 190°C
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, swapping the baking sheets between racks and rotating them front to back after 10 minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp all over.
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Ready when: Pastry is deep golden brown on top and bottom and feels crisp when lightly tapped.
Tip: If the tops brown faster than the bottoms, move the tray to a lower rack for the last few minutes.
10
Cool and dust
- Let the briouats rest on the baking sheets for 8 minutes so the pastry firms up.
- Mix the confectioners' sugar and cinnamon and dust it lightly over the tops through a fine sieve.
- Serve warm.
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Ready when: Briouats lift off the parchment easily without breaking.
Tip: Skip the dusting for a fully savory version.

Good to know

Tips

Keep unused phyllo covered at all times. If a strip tears, simply patch it with another strip, as the butter holds the layers together.
Brush butter lightly. Too much makes the phyllo greasy and heavy instead of crisp.
For extra-flaky pastry, bake on parchment rather than a greased pan, which would fry the bottoms unevenly.
Serve with lemon wedges or a small bowl of honey for dipping for a sweet-savory contrast.

Make ahead

"Make the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it covered. Assemble the unbaked briouats up to 1 day ahead, cover tightly on the baking sheet and refrigerate, or freeze them on the sheet until solid, then bag. Bake frozen briouats at 375°F (190°C) for 24 to 28 minutes, no thawing needed."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours for serving. Refrigerator: store cooled baked briouats in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 2 months. Reheat from the refrigerator or freezer on a baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 8 to 10 minutes (12 to 15 from frozen) until hot in the center and crisp. Avoid the microwave, which makes them soft."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breast. Cook to 165°F (74°C), and add 1 extra tbsp olive oil to the filling so it doesn't turn dry.
unsalted butter → olive oil or neutral oil. Brush the same amount, about 5 tbsp (75 ml). The pastry will be a little less rich but still crisp.
saffron threads → ½ tsp extra ground turmeric. Gives similar color but not the floral aroma; add it with the other spices.
whole blanched almonds → toasted blanched pistachios or walnuts. Use the same weight; the flavor will be slightly different but still pairs well with cinnamon.