Moroccan Spiced Chicken Briouats (Printable Version)
Crispy phyllo triangles filled with aromatic spiced chicken, fresh herbs, and touch of honey
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken Filling
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 10 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 tablespoon honey
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - Zest of 1/2 lemon
→ Assembly
17 - 12 sheets phyllo pastry
18 - 4 tablespoons melted butter
19 - 1 egg yolk, beaten
20 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
# How to Make:
01 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
02 - Stir in the diced chicken. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5-7 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink.
03 - Add cumin, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Continue to cook for 2 minutes to let the spices bloom and become aromatic.
04 - Drizzle honey over the mixture and add the cilantro, parsley, and lemon zest. Mix well and cook for 2-3 more minutes until everything is well incorporated. Remove from heat and let filling cool slightly.
05 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
06 - Lay one sheet of phyllo pastry on a clean surface. Keep the rest covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying. Brush the sheet lightly with melted butter.
07 - Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling near one end of the phyllo sheet. Fold one corner over filling to form a triangle. Fold the triangle over itself, maintaining triangle shape, until you reach the end of the strip. Seal the tip with beaten egg yolk.
08 - Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and filling. Arrange briouats on the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with more melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
09 - Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
10 - Let cool slightly before serving hot or at room temperature with harissa or yogurt dipping sauce.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of honey and warm spices creates this incredible sweet-savory balance that makes them impossible to stop eating
- They freeze beautifully before baking, so you can always have impressive appetizers ready for unexpected guests
- The phyllo gets impossibly crisp while the filling stays tender and juicy
02 -
- Working quickly with phyllo is essential, it dries out and becomes unworkable within minutes
- Let the filling cool completely, even warm filling will create steam and make your briouats soggy
- Don't overload the phyllo with filling, it will tear during folding
03 -
- If your phyllo tears while you're working with it, don't panic, just patch it with another piece and brush with butter
- The key to the crispiest briouats is brushing every single layer with butter, don't skip any spots