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Moroccan-Style Chicken Phyllo Rolls

Source of Recipe


epicurious






List of Ingredients



• 1 small onion, finely chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• Scant teaspoon salt
  
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  
• 1 1/4 lb chicken thighs (with skin and bones)
  
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  
• 1/2 cup water
  
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
  
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped
  
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
  
• 8 (17- by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
  
• Accompaniment: spiced tomato sauce
  






Instructions



1. Make filling: Cook onion in oil along with salt, cumin, ginger, turmeric, pepper, and coriander in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, broth, water, and cinnamon stick and simmer, covered, turning chicken over once, until meat is very tender, about 45 minutes total. Transfer chicken with tongs to a bowl, reserving cooking liquid.
   
   
2. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken, discarding skin and bones, and transfer to a large bowl. Transfer cooking liquid to a 2-cup glass measure (do not clean saucepan) and let stand 1 minute, then skim off fat and discard cinnamon stick. Return liquid to saucepan and simmer over moderately high heat, uncovered, until reduced to about 1/4 cup (liquid will look like a glaze in bottom of pan), about 8 minutes, then stir into shredded chicken along with almonds.
   
   
3. Reserve 2 tablespoons beaten egg in a cup for egg wash. Lightly season remaining egg with salt and pepper, then cook in 1/2 tablespoon butter in an 8- to 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until just set but still slightly soft. Stir scrambled egg into filling.
   
   
4. Make rolls: Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
   
   
5. Put 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface, keeping remaining phyllo covered with overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel, and brush generously with some melted butter. Evenly sift 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon over buttered phyllo using a fine-mesh sieve, then top with another phyllo sheet and generously brush with butter.
   
   
6. Halve buttered phyllo stack crosswise, then arrange 1 half with a long side nearest you. Spread 1/4 cup chicken filling in a narrow strip along edge nearest you, then roll up filling tightly in phyllo, leaving ends open. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a cutting board set inside a baking pan (to help contain mustard seeds when sprinkling). Make another roll with remaining half stack. Make 6 more rolls in same manner, transferring to cutting board.
   
   
7. Transfer rolls to a rack to cool slightly.
   
   






Final Comments


Makes 32 hors d'oeuvres.

Cooks' notes:
• Rolls can be assembled (but not coated or cut) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Rolls can be assembled and cut (but not coated or baked) 2 weeks ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Coat frozen rolls, then bake (do not thaw) in a preheated 350°F oven about 20 minutes.