Tavuklu pilav – Turkish rice with chicken and chickpeas Recipe
Tavuklu pilav is delicate rice cooked in chicken stock, served with pieces of tender poultry and chickpeas. In Turkey you can even buy it from street carts, where vendors scoop rice from huge pots and arrange pieces of chicken on top. The flavors are mild and homely, a bit like a combination of risotto and chicken soup, but without the creamy texture.
This dish brings the atmosphere of Turkish street food into your home kitchen: simple ingredients, mild flavors and comforting, aromatic rice cooked in stock. The combination of tender chicken and creamy chickpeas makes it filling yet still light.
Chef's tips
Rinse the rice thoroughly and don’t skip the soaking step – this helps the grains cook evenly and stay separate. Use good-quality chicken stock, because it largely determines the final flavor. After cooking, give the rice time to rest under a lid so it can finish steaming and become fluffy.
How to serve
Serve the tavuklu pilav on warm plates, with a generous spoonful of natural yogurt or ayran on the side. Add a fresh tomato and cucumber salad with onion and parsley, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. You can also sprinkle the rice with a bit of extra black pepper or a pinch of pul biber (Turkish chili flakes) for a light kick.
Ingredients
- long-grain rice preferably basmati - 250 g
- boneless chicken thighs cut into smaller pieces - 500 g
- canned chickpeas drained and rinsed - 200 g
- clarified butter or butter - 40 g
- vegetable oil for frying the chicken - 1 tablespoon
- chicken stock warm - 450 ml
- salt or to taste - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
- bay leaf - 1 piece
- parsley chopped, for sprinkling - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Put the rice into a bowl, cover with cold water, stir with your hand, then pour off the cloudy water. Repeat rinsing 2–3 times, until the water is almost clear. Finally, cover the rice with fresh water and leave for 15 minutes, then drain in a sieve.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wide pot. Add the chicken pieces, lightly salt and fry for 6–8 minutes, until browned on all sides and no longer raw in the center.
- Transfer the fried chicken to a plate and melt the butter in the same pan.
- Add the drained rice and fry over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains become slightly translucent and start to smell nutty.
- Pour in the warm stock, add the bay leaf, salt and pepper. Gently stir, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 12–15 minutes, until the rice absorbs the liquid.
- When there is no more liquid on the surface of the rice, turn off the heat. Arrange the fried chicken pieces and drained chickpeas on top, cover with a lid and leave for 10 minutes so the rice can finish cooking in the steam.
- After this time, gently fluff and mix the rice with the chicken and chickpeas using a fork, so you don’t break the grains.
- Before serving, sprinkle the dish with chopped parsley.
Storage
Pilav przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku i dobrze podgrzej przed jedzeniem. Możesz go też zamrozić w porcjach; przy odgrzewaniu dodaj 1–2 łyżki wody, żeby ryż nie był suchy.
