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This chicken stew recipe is hearty and easy to prepare. Made with tender chicken pieces and vegetables, this is a great way to infuse some Turkish flavor into your weeknight dinner routine!
Stews are comforting and mostly very easy to make. From our Moroccan chickpea stew to lamb stew and, of course, chicken tagine, the combination of chunky vegetables and protein cooked slowly in a flavorful broth offers something comforting that no other meal can. Today I’m going to show you how to make chicken stew the Turkish way. It’s a one-pot, easy meal that’s simple yet so satisfying.
Table of Contents
Not just another chicken stew recipe!
Turkish cuisine offers a category a dishes similar to stew known as sulu yemekler which literally means watery meals. These dishes are usually made with a lot of vegetables including potatoes and carrots and sometimes include chicken, lamb or ground beef as well.
Why this recipe works
- One pot: Similar to our roasted chicken and vegetables, this chicken stew is made in one pot, making cleaning up so much easier.
- Flavors: Not only does this recipe call for a variety of vegetables, but it also uses spices such as Aleppo pepper (pul biber), sumac and dried mint which makes this stew extra delicious.
- Easy: As easy as chop and cook, this is going to be one of the simplest stew recipes you’ve tried!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken: You can use boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breast for this recipe. The chicken is cut into bite sized pieces.
- Vegetables: Onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots and green peas are the vegetables you’ll need to make this stew. I recommend using frozen peas for this recipe.
- Spices: A combination of Aleppo pepper, sumac, oregano, dried mint, salt and pepper.
- Tomato paste: To add some depth of color and flavor. Please avoid using crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.
How to make chicken stew
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large pot over medium high heat. Sauté the chicken for a few minutes until it starts changing color. Add in the onion and garlic and cook for a few more minutes.
- Add in the carrots and potatoes followed by the spices. Give it a nice stir and add the tomato paste and peas. Pour in 4 cups of water and bring it to a simmer.
- Cover and cook for 45 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked. Finish with some freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Can I use my instant pot?
Yes. Making this recipe in the instant pot is pretty simple:
- Press the sauté button and sauté the chicken in the olive oil followed by the onion and garlic.
- Add in the potatoes, carrots, spices, tomato paste and green peas. Add 4 cups of water and seal the lid. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then carefully do a quick release.
Variations
What I love about this chicken stew is that you can modify it to your liking and use whatever is available to you. Here are a couple of suggestions:
- Make it spicy by adding 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper alongside the spices.
- Add other vegetables such as leek, sweet potatoes or cauliflower.
Serving suggestions
While I usually like to have this chicken stew on its own, I know many love to have it with a side of white rice, rice pilaf with orzo or rice and vermicelli. It would also go very well with some fresh Turkish pide bread and a side of gavurdagi salad or Mediterranean salad.
Leftovers and reheating
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the stew in a saucepan over medium heat. It should take about 15 minutes for the stew to reheat. Make sure to stir it a few times so it reheats evenly.
As for freezing chicken stew, you can easily do so. Let the stew cool completely then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the stew in the fridge overnight and then reheat.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’d like the chicken stew to be thicker, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/3 cup water and add it to the stew. Cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until it thickens.
Yes, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into cubes.
I don’t recommend using canned peas for this recipe since they are already cooked and would get mushy.
More soup and stew recipes
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Easy Moroccan Chickpea Stew
Mediterranean recipes
Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi)
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Chicken Stew Recipe Turkish Style
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, cut into chunks
- 2 russet potatoes, cut into chunks
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp dried mint
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 lemon, juice of
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large pot over medium high heat. Sauté the chicken for 2 minutes, until it starts changing color.
- Add in the onion and garlic, cook until they have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the carrots and potatoes followed by the oregano, Aleppo pepper, dried mint, sumac, salt and pepper. Give it a good stir to combine.
- Stir in the tomato paste and frozen peas. Pour 4 cups of water into the pot and bring it to a simmer.
- Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid and let it cook for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender.
- Add the lemon juice right before serving.
Video
Notes
- You can use boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe as well.
- Instead of Aleppo pepper, you can use crushed red pepper.
- Storage and reheating: Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. To freeze chicken stew, place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat over medium heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is wonderful! Easy & flavorful so it sure to be a huge family favorite!
Lovely flavors in this chicken stew. This is a keeper recipe. Thank you!
All of the flavors in this stew made it so hearty and satisfying!! We served it with some rice for a simple easy dinner!
This was so easy and so delicious! I especially loved the mint and sumac; it gave the stew such an INCREDIBLE flavor. Definitely going in our rotation!