Turkish Chicken and Bulgur Bake (Güveç)
Oven-baked Turkish chicken and bulgur güveç made with peppers, aubergine, dates, and spices for a rich one-pot meal.
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken thighs
- 2 spicy sausages Turkish sujuk, Spanish chorizo, or similar
- 5 tbsp bulgur
- 5 dates
VEGETABLES
- 1 aubergine medium size
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 fresh chilli pepper
- 2 onions
- 5-6 garlic cloves
HERBS & SPICES
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 star anise
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley
OTHER
- 2 tbsp tomato concentrate
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp pomegranate molasses or 2 tsp balsamic vinegar + 1 tsp honey
- 700-800 ml chicken stock homemade, powdered or cube
- olive oil for frying
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Brown the chicken: Rub the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Sear skin-side down in hot oil for 5–7 minutes, until golden. Do not turn. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables: In the same pan, cook onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Add chopped spicy sausages and cook a few more minutes. Stir in diced aubergine, red and green peppers, and chopped chilli. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Finish the sauce: Add cinnamon, cumin seeds, and star anise. Stir in bulgur, then pour in the stock and add tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, and chopped dates. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Bake: Transfer the mixture to a baking dish if needed. Nestle the chicken on top, skin-side up and uncovered by sauce. Cover and bake at 200°C for 25–30 minutes. Uncover for the final 5 minutes to crisp the skin.
Notes
The total calorie content of the dish is approximately 1900 calories. This is an estimate and will vary depending on the specific products and brands used. The dish is intended to serve 3 people, which works out to around 633 calories per person.