Tavuk Sote is a Turkish chicken stew that involves cooked chicken pieces with vegetables, herbs, and spices in a flavorful sauce. It's a versatile and popular recipe in Turkish cuisine, often enjoyed with accompaniments like rice or bread.
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Turkish cuisine has a rich diverse and flavorful history, that is richly influenced by the Ottoman Empire. Its food is known to emphasize the use of fresh, locally sourced produce, aromatic herbs, and a variety of spices. And this is why I find Turkish food as one of the most delicious and nutritious cuisines in the world.
In this recipe, I will be showing how to make a delicious Turkish chicken stew called Tavuk sote. Stews, known as "sote" in Turkish, have been a longstanding tradition in Turkish cooking, reflecting the region's appreciation for hearty, well-balanced dishes that bring together an array of ingredients.
Recipe Ingredients
Chicken- This serves as the primary protein in tavuk sote, providing a lean and tender texture to the dish when cooked. I cut into bite-sized pieces for the stew.
Vegetables: I am using Potatoes and Carrots for my stew recipe which will provide nutrients to the dish. Also, Bell Peppers contribute a fresh and crisp texture, as well as a slightly sweet flavor.
Spices: In this recipe, I added spices such as thyme, cumin, and paprika which creates a flavorful seasoning for the stew.
Tomato Sauce: The sauce will add a rich, savory base to the tavuk sote. It provides a saucy consistency to bind the ingredients together.
Herbs: I use parsley which will serve as a garnish, adding a burst of freshness and a hint of herbal flavor to the finished dish. In addition to that, I use red onion and garlic which are sautéed in olive oil before adding other ingredients. Lastly, for spiciness, I added green chili pepper which I sliced into pieces.
Other Ingredients: The rest you will need olive oil for sautéing and cooking the ingredients; water for making the stew; and salt & black pepper for taste.
Step by Step Instruction
Step 1: First, add olive oil to the cooking pot at medium heat. Once it became hot, I added chopped red onion and garlic. Stir till it turns translucent.
Step 2: Secondly, I added the sliced green chilies which I gave a quick stir before adding the sliced chicken breast. Stir gently and let it cook for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Next, add the chopped green bell pepper and stir for a few minutes. Add the cumin, thyme, and paprika, and give it a quick stir again.
Step 4: After that, I added the tomato sauce and then gently stir to combine.
Steps 5 & 6: Pour water into the cooking pot and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. During half-way, add the chopped parsley and then gently mix to combine.
Step 7: While it is simmering, add vegetable oil in a separate pan. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced carrot and potatoes. Gently fry for up to 5 minutes. You can only half-cooked it since the rest will be done by simmering in the pot.
Step 8: Once you simmered the stew for up to 20 minutes, transfer the potatoes and carrots in the pot and let it simmer for 5 more minutes. Add salt and black pepper for taste. Once done, turn off the heat.
Final Step: Place the Turkish chicken stew in the plate bowl and garnish it with chopped parsley. Serve it with rice or bread. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long can my Tavuk Sote recipe last in the fridge?
You can store this Turkish Chicken stew in the fridge for up to 5 days.
2. What do I serve this Turkish Chicken stew with?
You can serve this with rice, bulgur or any crusty bread you like.
3. What other vegetables I can use in this recipe?
Zucchini, eggplant, or green beans are some alternatives you can consider.
4. Can I make tavuk sote ahead of time?
Yes, tavuk sote can be made ahead of time and reheated. The flavors often develop even more when allowed to sit, making it a convenient dish for meal prep.
Other Turkish Food Recipes
Here are other delicious Turkish meat recipes you can make at home:
📋 Recipe Card
Tavuk Sote (Turkish Chicken Stew)
Ingredients
- 500 grams of Boneless Chicken Breast cut in square shape
- 1 Large Potatoes cut in cubed shaped
- 2 Medium Carrots Sliced
- 1 Green Bell Peppers chopped
- 1 teaspoon of Thyme
- 2 teaspoon of Cumin
- 2 teaspoon of Paprika
- 2 cups Tomato Sauce
- ½ cup of chopped Parsley
- 1 Medium of Red Onion chopped
- 4 cloves of Garlic chopped
- 1 Green Chili Pepper chopped
- 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil
- ¼ cup of vegetable oil for frying the potatoes and carrots
- 2 to 3 cups of Water
- 1 teaspoon of Salt
- 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a cooking pot over medium heat. Once it's hot, sauté chopped red onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add sliced green chilies and give them a quick stir before introducing the sliced chicken breast. Gently stir and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Add chopped green bell pepper and stir for a few minutes. Add cumin, thyme, and paprika, giving it another quick stir.
- Afterward, add tomato sauce and gently stir to combine.
- Pour water into the pot and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Midway through, add chopped parsley and gently mix.
- While it simmers, heat vegetable oil in a separate pan. Once hot, add sliced carrot and potatoes, frying gently for up to 5 minutes. Partially cook them, as they will finish cooking in the pot.
- After simmering the stew for 20 minutes, transfer the partially cooked potatoes and carrots to the pot. Let it simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Turn off the heat when done.
- Finally, plate the Turkish chicken stew and serve it with rice or bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can disregard green chili pepper if you don't want your stew spicy.
- You can use beef or lamb instead of chicken.
- You can add or switched with other vegetables such as eggplant or zucchini.
This chicken dish is right up my alley. I love all those bold spices and seasonings.
Absolutely delicious! This was a winner with my family. I'll be making this stew again! Thanks for sharing!
This hearty, flavor packed stew is a perfect meal for my family. Especially on a busy weeknight.
Such delicious comfort food on a cold wintery day! Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Such an amazing and comforting stew! I absolutely love all those flavors, especially with the paprika. Yum!
This stew was very good! I'm going to try other recipes you have!