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5.0 from 3 votes

Turkish Chicken & Rice Traybake - Tavuk Kapama

This tasty, oven baked Turkish chicken and rice recipe is also loaded with vegetables and spices for lots of extra flavour and texture. It is great to eat at any time of year and is quick and easy to make. Its versatility means you can enjoy it as a weekend treat or as a weeknight dinner.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Additional Time
5 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 376 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Turkish

Ingredients

For The Chicken Thighs
  • 6 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
  • 3 cloves garlic (peeled & crushed or grated)
  • 3 teaspoons Turkish chicken seasoning (or cajun spices)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
  • salt & pepper (to season)
  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil (for frying)
For The Rice
  • 180 grams long grain rice
  • 2 onions (peeled & sliced into half moons)
  • 1 red bell pepper (deseeded & cut into strips)
  • 1 green bell pepper (deseeded & cut into strips)
  • 150 grams mushrooms (chopped into chunks)
  • 2 fresh chillies (roughly chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 10 black olives (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
  • 600 millilitres chicken stock (or hot water)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius (370 Fahrenheit).
  2. Except for the pomegranate molasses and sunflower oil, add all of your chicken ingredients to your chicken thighs and rub them in so that the thighs are evenly coated.
  3. Now heat your sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat.
  4. Once your oil is hot, add the chicken thighs to the pan and leave to sear for a couple of minutes.
  5. After two minutes, turn them over and drizzle your pomegranate molasses over the top.
  6. Whilst your chicken thighs are in the pan, boil your kettle.
  7. When you have coloured both sides of your chicken thighs, remove the pan from the heat.
  8. Add the chicken thighs to your oven dish, spacing them so that they are in a single layer, leaving any juices in the frying pan.
  9. Now sprinkle your rice around the gaps between the chicken.
  10. Stir the turmeric into your boiling water or chicken stock and carefully our it over the chicken and rice.
  11. Set your oven timer to 45 minutes and place in the centre of the oven.
  12. Now place your frying pan back on a medium high heat and add your onions and peppers.
  13. Fry for around 5 minutes, adding a little more oil if necessary.
  14. As they take on coloıur, add your mushrooms and stir.
  15. Fry for another 3 minutes or so until your mushrooms start to colour.
  16. Remove the vegetables from the heat and remove your chicken thighs and rice from the oven.
  17. Spoon your vegetables and any juices over the chicken and rice, gently pushing some beneath the surface.
  18. Now place back into the oven and increase the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit).
  19. Leave to bake for the remainder of the time (approximately 35 minutes)
  20. Now remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes after garnishing with the black olives and fresh parsley.
  21. Serve each person with a chicken thigh and some of the rice and vegetables and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top.

Notes

  • Our recipe serves 6 people as part of a bigger meal with meze or other side dishes.
  • If you are eating tavuk kapama as part of a complete meal, you will get four generous servings.
  • We use Jasmine rice in our recipe but other white, long grain rice will be fşne to use.
  • If you prefer, you can substitute the rice for bulgur wheat. In Turkey, look for 'pilavlık' bulgur; not the fine 'köftelik' bulgur. 
  • Please note that the nutritional information is calculated by a third party API. Do your own due diligence if you have any special dietary requirements. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 376kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 37g (12%) Protein 29g (58%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 7g Trans Fat 0.02g Cholesterol 110mg (37%) Sodium 362mg (15%) Potassium 715mg (20%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 1218IU (24%) Vitamin C 68mg (76%) Calcium 49mg (5%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 376

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 376kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Protein 29g 58%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 0.02g 1%
Cholesterol 110mg 37%
Sodium 362mg 15%
Potassium 715mg 15%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 1218IU 24%
Vitamin C 68mg 76%
Calcium 49mg 5%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.