Chicken Briouat

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 whole medium yellow onion
• 2 whole garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ¼ teaspoon pinch of cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
• ½ cup sliced blanched almonds
• 2 whole large eggs
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 sheets phyllo dough (thawed if frozen)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted for brushing)
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar for dusting
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon for dusting

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels. Place them on a cutting board and cut into 2-inch chunks — you want them small enough to shred easily but large enough to handle.

2. 2

   Dice 1 medium yellow onion into small 1/4-inch pieces. Peel and mince 2 garlic cloves. Roughly chop 0.25 cup fresh cilantro leaves and 0.25 cup fresh parsley leaves into small pieces — you can chop them together.

3. 3

   Toast 0.5 cup sliced blanched almonds in a dry 10-inch skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until fragrant and light golden. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly — they will crisp up as they cool. Roughly chop them into 1/4-inch pieces.

4. 4

   Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Once the foam subsides, add the diced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the edges just begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the chicken chunks to the skillet along with 1 teaspoon cumin, 0.5 teaspoon coriander, 0.5 teaspoon paprika, and 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stir well to coat the chicken evenly with the spices. Cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink inside and begins to shred slightly as you stir.

6. 6

   Use two forks to shred the cooked chicken directly in the skillet into bite-sized pieces, about 1/2 inch. Continue stirring for another 2 minutes until the chicken is fully shredded and any remaining liquid has mostly evaporated — you want the filling to be moist but not wet.

7. 7

   Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the chopped cilantro, parsley, toasted almonds, 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt, and 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

8. 8

   Crack 2 large eggs into a small bowl and whisk together lightly with a fork until the whites and yolks are combined. Add the eggs to the chicken mixture and stir gently until the eggs are fully incorporated and coat the filling — the residual heat will set the eggs slightly. Let cool for 5 minutes.

9. 9

   Have your phyllo dough thawed at room temperature if frozen. Lay out one sheet of phyllo on a dry cutting board — phyllo is delicate, so handle it gently. Using a pastry brush, brush the entire surface lightly with melted butter.

10. 10

    Place about 3 tablespoons of the cooled chicken filling in the center of the buttered phyllo sheet, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Fold the phyllo like an envelope: fold the bottom edge up over the filling, then fold in the left and right sides, then fold down the top edge, pressing gently to seal. The packet should be roughly 4 inches square. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets and filling to make 4 briouat total — you may have some filling left over, which you can reserve for snacking.

11. 11

    Pour 2 cups vegetable oil into a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F, measured with an instant-read thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test readiness by dropping a small piece of phyllo into the oil — it should sizzle immediately and turn golden in about 15 seconds.

12. 12

    Carefully lower 2 briouat into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or fish spatula. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden brown and crispy, rotating gently with the spatula as needed — the phyllo should shatter slightly when you tap it. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the fried briouat to a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining 2 briouat.

13. 13

    While the briouat are still warm, dust lightly with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon using a fine-mesh sieve. Serve immediately while the phyllo is still crispy and the filling is warm.

Tools you’ll need

• 12-inch skillet
• 10-inch skillet
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• paper towels
• two forks
• small bowl
• fork for whisking
• pastry brush
• 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven
• instant-read thermometer
• slotted spoon or fish spatula
• fine-mesh sieve

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