Tavuk Guvec; Turkish Chicken and Vegetable Stew in Earthenware Pot
 
 
I hope you enjoy this delicious, tender and healthy Tavuk Guvec, slowly cooked in a traditional earthenware guvec pot. It is a bountiful dish and a great crowd pleaser, the leftovers also freeze well. If you don’t have a clay / earthenware pot, a cast iron casserole dish, a heavy ramekin dish or a heavy based pot like Le Creuset would work too. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the meat. Mushrooms would work really well here instead of meat for a vegetarian version.
Author:
Recipe type: Turkish Chicken Casserole in Earthenware Pot
Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 450gr / 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 3 -4 chunks
  • 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
  • 3 medium potatoes, skinned, quartered
  • 1 green and 1 red bell (or pointy) pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 250 gr fresh runner (or French, dwarf) beans, trimmed and cut in three parts
  • 2 small or 1 large zucchini, sliced
  • 1 eggplant (aubergine), quartered and cut in small chunks
  • 1 can of 400 gr/14 oz. chopped tomatoes
  • 15ml /1 tbsp. red pepper paste (optional)
  • 15 ml/ 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 lb. / 4 cups of water
  • 30 ml/ 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste
  • Red pepper flakes to serve
  • Dollops of plain yoghurt to serve
Instructions
  1. Spread the eggplant slices over a tray and sprinkle salt over them. After 15 minutes, dry the eggplants with paper towel to get rid of its bitter juices.
  2. Heat the olive oil in the pot and stir in chicken pieces and onion. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the tomato paste and red pepper paste and sauté for another 3 minutes.
  4. Now, start layering the vegetables, bearing in mind to layer the vegetables that need longer cooking period towards the bottom of the pan.
  5. Layer the potato slices over the chicken, then the runner beans.
  6. Next layer the bell peppers, courgettes and aubergine (eggplant).
  7. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and water.
  8. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, as well as red pepper flakes if you like more heat.
  9. Do not stir the guvec pot; cover and start cooking at medium heat, until it starts to bubble.
  10. Once bubbling, turn the heat to low and simmer and gently cook for 2 hours, covered.
  11. Once cooked, turn the heat off and let the Guvec rest in the earthenware pot for 30 minutes. The flavors blend and settle deliciously. Check the seasoning and add more salt and ground black pepper if needed.
  12. You can serve Tavuk guvec with these flavorful potato & bulgur patties and a dollop of plain yoghurt aside.
Recipe by Ozlem's Turkish Table at https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2014/06/tavuk-guvec-turkish-chicken-and-vegetable-stew-in-earthenware-pot/