Moroccan Spiced Chicken Briouats (Printable)
Crispy phyllo triangles stuffed with spiced chicken, herbs, and touch of honey—perfect savory Moroccan appetizer.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
11 - ½ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 tablespoon honey
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - Zest of ½ lemon
→ Assembly
17 - 12 sheets phyllo pastry
18 - 4 tablespoons melted butter
19 - 1 egg yolk, beaten
20 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
# How-to Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant, being careful not to brown.
02 - Add diced chicken breast to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
03 - Stir in cumin, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to allow the spices to bloom and release their aromatic oils.
04 - Drizzle honey over the spiced chicken mixture. Add fresh cilantro, parsley, and lemon zest. Mix thoroughly and cook for 2-3 more minutes until all ingredients are well incorporated and the filling is fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before assembling.
05 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
06 - Lay one sheet of phyllo pastry on a clean work surface. Keep remaining sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying and cracking. Brush the sheet lightly with melted butter using a pastry brush.
07 - Place approximately 2 tablespoons of cooled chicken filling near one end of the phyllo sheet. Fold one corner diagonally over the filling to form a triangle. Continue folding the triangle over itself, alternating direction, until you reach the end of the pastry strip. Seal the final edge with beaten egg yolk.
08 - Repeat the folding process with remaining phyllo sheets and filling. Arrange completed briouats on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Brush tops with additional melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
09 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until briouats are deep golden brown and crispy throughout. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through for even browning.
10 - Allow briouats to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with harissa or yogurt dipping sauce.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- That moment when someone bites through crispy golden phyllo into warm spiced chicken and their eyes go wide
- The filling comes together faster than you can preheat your oven
- These freeze beautifully so you can impress guests on short notice
02 -
- Phyllo pastry dries out in seconds so keep that damp cloth on the stack until the exact moment you need each sheet
- The filling must cool slightly or it will make the phyllo soggy and tear before you can fold it
03 -
- Use a pastry brush with soft bristles to avoid tearing delicate phyllo
- Warm the honey slightly for 15 seconds in the microwave so it drizzles evenly