Chicken Baklava with Spices and Dried Fruit

• Recipe by Jean-Christophe Royer

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
3. 1 teaspoon ground coriander
4. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
5. 1 teaspoon ground ginger
6. 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds total)
7. 1 banana
8. 1 large crisp apple, such as Fuji or Gala 1 large firm pear, such as Bosc or Bartlett
9. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10. 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter
11. 1/3 cup pine nuts
12. 2 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
13. Salt
14. 1 cup finely chopped mixed dried fruit, such as apricots, dates and figs (4 ounces)
15. 1/2 cup chopped mint
16. Freshly ground pepper
17. 1 package phyllo dough, thawed if frozen (1 pound) 

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the cinnamon, coriander, cumin and ginger. Put the chicken thighs in a shallow dish and rub the spice mixture into them. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Cut the banana, apple and pear into 1/4-inch dice and toss with the lemon juice. In a medium skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat. Add the fruit to the pan and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
3. Spread the pine nuts in a pie plate and toast them in the oven for about 7 minutes, or until golden. Let cool.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil over moderate heat. Season the stock with salt, add the chicken thighs and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the thighs from the stock and let cool, then cut them into 1/4-inch dice. Add the chicken to the sautéed fresh fruit along with the pine nuts, dried fruit and mint. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 375°. Melt the remaining 1 stick of butter. Brush 1 sheet of the phyllo with some of the melted butter; keep the rest of the phyllo covered with a damp towel. Cut the buttered phyllo sheet lengthwise into 3 equal strips. Place 1 tablespoon of filling 1 inch from the top of a strip. Fold the phyllo strip like a flag: Fold 1 corner of the phyllo over the filling to enclose it and form a triangle. Then fold the filled corner down to form a triangle; continue folding the triangle across and down until all of the phyllo strip is used. Set the triangle on a baking sheet and cover with a damp cloth. Continue with the remaining phyllo dough, butter and filling.
6. Brush the triangles with butter and bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Make Ahead

The phyllo triangles can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 1 day.