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Chicken Guvec Recipe

Name: Olive Tree Restaurant Bedfords CHICKEN GUVEC Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1.25 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs; 0.5 cups plain yogurt (full-fat or Greek); 2 tbs olive oil; 1 tbs fresh lemon juice; 3 count garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 0.25 tsp hot paprika or cayenne; 1.25 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 tbs olive oil (for pan); 1 count yellow onion, thinly sliced; 1 count green bell pepper, sliced into strips; 2 count roma tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can diced); 1 tbs tomato paste; 0.5 cups chicken stock or water; 1 tsp harissa (or chili paste) or to taste; 0.5 tsp dried oregano; 0.25 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity); 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped; 4 count lemon wedges; 0.25 cups feta cheese, crumbled (optional); 4 servings cooked rice or flatbread

Inspired by Olive Tree Restaurant Bedford

Time1h

Serves4

Make Chicken Guvec Recipe in just 1h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Marinade & Chicken

1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/2 cups plain yogurt (full-fat or Greek)

2 tbs olive oil

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

3 count Garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Ground coriander

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/4 tsp hot paprika or cayenne

1 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Vegetables & Sauce

1 tbs olive oil (for pan)

1 count yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 count green bell pepper, sliced into strips

2 count roma tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can diced)

1 tbs tomato paste

1/2 cups chicken stock or water

1 tsp harissa (or chili paste) or to taste

1/2 tsp Dried oregano

1/4 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Finishing & Garnish

2 tbs Fresh parsley, chopped

4 count lemon wedges

1/4 cups feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

To Serve

4 servings cooked rice or flatbread

Method

Marinade & Chicken

Prepare marinade

In a bowl combine yogurt, 2 tbs olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, sweet paprika, hot paprika (or cayenne), 1.25 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth.

Marinate chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat dry. Add chicken to the marinade, turning to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2–4 hours. If short on time, 20 minutes at room temperature is acceptable.

Sear chicken

Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs olive oil. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off (reserve marinade). Place thighs in the hot pan, searing 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown (they will not be fully cooked). Work in batches if needed. Transfer seared thighs to a plate.

Vegetables & Sauce

Sweat onions and peppers

Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet add a little more oil if needed. Add the thinly sliced onion and cook 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add green pepper strips and cook another 3–4 minutes until beginning to soften.

Build the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor. Add chopped tomatoes, reserved marinade (if using), chicken stock (1/2 cup), harissa, dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp sugar if tomatoes are very acidic. Stir well, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Finish cooking chicken in sauce

Nestle the seared chicken thighs into the simmering sauce, spooning sauce over top. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 12–15 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Uncover for the last 2–3 minutes if you want the sauce thicker.

Finishing & Serve

Adjust seasoning

Taste the sauce and adjust salt, pepper or harissa to your liking. Stir in chopped parsley.

Plate and garnish

Serve the Chicken Guvec over cooked rice or with warm flatbread. Spoon plenty of sauce and vegetables over each portion, sprinkle with crumbled feta if using and serve with lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.