Add color and flavor to your breakfast, brunch or dinner table with this easy, delicious Moroccan Chicken Frittata! Inspired by one of my favorite and one of the most famous Moroccan dishes B’stilla Bil Djaj, or Chicken Bstilla, this frittata is full of fresh flavor and warm spices.
In my opinion, Chicken Bstilla should be on every food lover’s bucket list! It starts with a whole chicken cooked with onion, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and saffron, parsley and cilantro. The chicken gets shredded and beaten eggs are added to the sauce.
The chicken mixture is spread on layers of filo dough that is slathered with butter and sprinkled with fried, chopped almonds, powdered sugar and ground cinnamon! AMAZING!!
I made Chicken Bstilla once when my cousin visited me in Boston. She asked for the recipe and asked if it was easy to make. I gave her the recipe, but had to tell her it was pretty time consuming. Also, the layers of butter, sadly, are not the healthiest! This Moroccan Chicken Frittata is my way of bringing these flavors to our tables in an easier-to-prepare, healthier form!
Since one of the main ingredients in Chicken Bstilla is eggs, I thought a healthier, less time-consuming version of this famous dish could be in the form of a frittata. To reduce the cooking time, I went with boneless skinless chicken breast cut into small pieces.
The eggs can be cooked as a frittata or even as scrambled eggs. I like the frittata style especially if you’re serving it for company. It’s best enjoyed right away, but can also be served at room temperature.
If you want to go for an even more authentic taste, add a pinch of saffron and/or some ground almonds.
As mentioned, this frittata works for any meal. It’s super tasty with some crusty bread and a green salad. For more savory, traditional Moroccan recipes, try my Creamy Garlic Potato Fritters and the brunch favorite- Shakshuka!
Chicken Frittata
Ingredients
- FOR THE CHICKEN
- 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cubed
- 1 onion grated
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons each parsley and cilantro chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- FOR THE EGG MIXTURE
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 5 eggs
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and chop into cubes. Heat the oil or butter in a deep skillet on medium heat and cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes. Add the onion, salt, pepper, ginger, turmeric, and ground cinnamon and cook on medium high heat, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the water and cinnamon stick, parsley and cilantro, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes (until chicken is cooked and sauce has reduced by half). Adjust seasoning if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice and remove the cinnamon stick.
- Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the sauce into a medium-sized bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes. Whisk the eggs in with the cooled sauce then pour egg mixture over the chicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the eggs are cooked. Serve immediately.
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