Ingredients

1 whole roaster chicken, about 4 pounds, cut into 8 pieces

Coarse salt

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus 1/2 cup melted (1 1/2 sticks total)

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper

1 3/4 cups blanched whole almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1/4 cup orange-flower water

1 package (17 ounces) store-bought phyllo dough

Preparation

Put chicken and 1/3 cup salt in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Mix chicken, onion, garlic, saffron, ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cup parsley, and 1/4 cup cilantro in a large bowl; cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Transfer chicken mixture to a medium-heavy pot. Add enough water to cover (about 4 cups). Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Add 1/4 cup butter; cover, and simmer until chicken is falling off the bone, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adding water to cover if necessary. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool. Reserve poaching liquid. Remove meat from bones and shred; discard skin and bones. Set chicken aside.

Bring reserved poaching liquid to a boil over high heat; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup. Reduce heat to medium high. Slowly add eggs; whisk constantly until mixture is almost set, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup parsley, 1/4 cup cilantro, and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Stir together almonds, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 13-inch paella or pizza pan with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Stir together remaining melted butter and the orange-flower water in small bowl. Assemble b’steeya: Brush a sheet of phyllo with butter mixture. Put in pan, leaving a 4-inch overhang. Repeat, adding and buttering 7 more sheets of phyllo, overlapping layers and fanning out around pan. (Keep unbuttered phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel.)

Arrange chicken mixture over dough. Pour in egg mixture. Top with 5 layers phyllo brushed with butter mixture. Sprinkle with almond mixture. Fold up edges of phyllo to enclose. Top with 5 layers phyllo brushed with butter mixture; tuck edges inside pan. Slightly crinkle 2 unbuttered phyllo over top. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.