5 Brilliant Chicken Bastilla Side Dish Recipes To Try

Chicken bastilla is a traditional Moroccan dish that’s perfect for entertaining.
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It’s easy to make, and it goes well with a variety of side dishes.
If you are making one and don’t know what to serve with this delicious pie, here are some of our favorite pairings.
What is chicken bastilla?
Chicken bastilla, or chicken pastilla, is a savory pie that’s popular in Moroccan cuisine.
It consists of chicken, almonds, and spices, wrapped in a thin pastry dough and baked until golden brown and flaky.
This dish can be eaten as an appetizer, snack, or even the main course.
The name comes from the Arabic word “bast”, which means “thread”.
The dish is so named because of how it’s baked: the chicken is wrapped in phyllo dough—which looks like a thread—and baked until it becomes crispy and golden brown.
Chicken bastilla is traditionally served at weddings and other special events.
It’s also often eaten during Ramadan as a way to break fast during the evening meal.
The dish has many variations, and they are all delicious on their own.
But if you are looking for some ideas on what to serve with chicken bastilla, here are our suggestions:
5 best side dishes to serve with chicken bastilla
In general, chicken pastilla is filling and flavorful on its own, that’s why it is typically paired with a veggie-based companion.
Check out the five recipes below and find out what tastes best on the side of chicken bastilla in your opinion.
Julienne cucumber and tomato salad
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The ingredients for this dish are pretty simple: cucumbers (preferably English or Persian), cherry tomatoes (ideally heirloom), fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), and olive oil.
You can use any kind of white wine vinegar you have around though balsamic would also work well here since it has such a strong flavor that won’t get lost among all those other flavors in this salad.
As always, I recommend letting your guests season their own plates at the table before serving yourself so they’ll get exactly what they want!
Orange salad
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Chicken bastilla is a Moroccan-inspired dish of chicken, spices, and almonds wrapped in phyllo dough.
It’s usually served at room temperature or warmed slightly on the stovetop.
In fact, this chicken pie pairs well with any orange-flavored side dish, including an orange salad.
The orange wedges are tossed with fennel, mint, and yogurt for extra flavor.
The sweet orange flavor compliments the spices in your chicken bastilla perfectly, and the yogurt adds a good creaminess.
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So this salad is a great addition to any dinner.
If you don’t have an orange on hand, try substituting a clementine or tangerine instead.
The sweet and tart flavor of these citrus fruits will pair well with the chicken bastilla.
Roasted vegetables
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Roasted vegetables are an excellent side dish for this Moroccan chicken and spice-filled pastry.
Vegetables can be roasted in the oven or on the grill, making them an easy prep option.
Try using a variety of veggies like eggplant, bell peppers, potatoes, carrots, asparagus, broccoli, and zucchini; they all work well with this recipe!
If you have any leftovers from last night’s dinner or just want to make something quick for lunch tomorrow morning, roasted vegetables are here for you.
Mediterranean bean salad
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A Mediterranean-style bean salad is a great side dish for this chicken bastilla recipe.
It’s easy to make and really flavorful; it goes well with both sweet and spicy foods.
You can use black beans, chickpeas, white kidney beans, or pinto beans for the base of this salad.
Then add in some diced tomatoes and cucumbers for freshness.
A few chopped bell peppers will add color and crunchiness to your salad too!
Just make sure to add the dressing just before serving; otherwise, the beans will become soggy and gross.
If you don’t have time to cook dried beans, feel free to use canned ones instead.
Glazed carrots
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Glazed carrots are our last option today to serve with chicken bastilla.
They make a perfect accompaniment to this Moroccan chicken pie.
They’re a little bit sweet, they go well with the spiciness of the chicken and they’re easy to make.
All you need is some baby carrots and a few condiments.
First, wash your carrots and cut them into pieces.
Then heat up some oil in a pan on high heat.
Once hot, add the carrots, salt, and sugar to taste.
Cook until the edges become golden brown and the carrots are shiny and crisp-tender.
Conclusion
We hope this article has given you some ideas for what to serve with chicken bastilla.
As you can see, all of these side dishes are vegan to offset the richness of the main course, and they are easy to make without sacrificing flavor.
We love seeing how each person’s unique taste makes their dish extra special, so we’d love to hear what you think!
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