This tasty, aromatic, and nutritious Chicken and Chickpeas Pilau rice dish originated in the Turkish cities of Istanbul and Ankara, unlike other Pilau recipes we have covered so far.
It is common to see street vendors serving hot chicken and chickpeas pilau rice in the working neighborhoods of Turkey’s largest cities, such as Istanbul and Ankara. They are easily identifiable by their two-wheeled vending carts, especially during lunchtime.
Chicken and chickpea pilau rice is a popular street food because it is inexpensive. Additionally, it is a great source of energy and nutrients if you are working hard all day long.
For a few Turkish Lira or less, you can get a bowl of fresh chicken and chickpeas pilau served with an ice-cold cup of the Turkish yogurt drink called ‘ayran’, which is the most famous Turkish drink.
In spite of the fact that it seems like a simple meal, the chicken and chickpeas pilau is actually a very delicious meal. Many families make it at home, especially when they are having large gatherings, and it is always a big hit. It doesn’t require much else to go along with it, so you don’t need to make much else to complete the meal. Homemade kachumbari or fresh salad will do the trick.
Ingredients for Chicken
- 1 small chicken, skin removed and divided into 8-10 pieces.
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups water
Ingredients for Pilau( on a saucer )
- 1 tablespoon whole cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon whole pepper
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 2 cardamom/ iliki
Ingredients for the chicken and chickpeas pilau
- 500 gm basmati rice, washed 2-3 times then soaked for half an hour
- 3 onions, chopped
- 2 cups chickpeas (boiled and drained)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin/coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground roasted cumin powder
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 5 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
- 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 pieces each (optional)
- a bit of chopped coriander
Instructions to prepare the chicken and chickpeas pilau
Preparing the Chicken (to be done first)
Combined all the ingredients in a pot and cook on low heat for 15 minutes with the chicken pieces. The chicken should be drained out and the soup should be reserved for the chicken and chickpeas pilau rice. There will be a little more cooking of the chicken in the pilau. In order to prevent the meat from becoming tough and stringy, don’t try to cook it for longer than 15 minutes on low heat, otherwise, you will end up with meat that is very tough and stringy.
preparing the Pilau rice
Put a pan on your stove and get ready to heat it up. You need to keep in mind that the rice will double in size after it is cooked. On top of that, you will also need to make sure that there is enough space in the dish for the chicken, chickpeas, and potatoes that will be added. Let’s now turn the heat on so that we can begin cooking. As soon as the pan has been heated, add the oil and butter to the pan.
After that, you should add the spices that you had placed on the saucer. In this recipe, there are spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper, and cumin.
The spices should be allowed to splutter in the oil for a couple of minutes before adding the onions. With a wooden spoon, stir them from time to time until the potatoes are golden brown in color. After that, you should add the potatoes (if you choose to use them) as well as the turmeric and cumin/coriander powder to the mixture.
As soon as these are fried for a few minutes, add the garlic paste and some chopped coriander to them and let them simmer for a while.
By now, the aroma should be awesome. Now add the drained chickpeas and boiled chicken. You can stir these ingredients together for a few minutes, then add the broth/soup/yakhni and a healthy pinch of salt to taste. Allow the stock to simmer for a few minutes and then taste it for salt. It should be possible for you to feel the saltiness of the food. In other words, if it feels exactly right, then it means that you have too little of it. Let us keep in mind that the rice will also require some salt, so make sure to use enough salt so that it is enough to be able to taste it, but not so much that it will overwhelm you. Of course, do not overdo it!
After the water starts to boil, drain the rice (which should have been pre-soaked for about 30 minutes) and add the rice to the stock once the water starts boiling. I sprinkled some fresh coriander on top of this and stirred it around a bit. Let this ca couple of minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook it while it is covered until the water in the rice diminishes, giving it a stir every now and then to ensure that it is cooked evenly and perfectly evenly and perfectly.
It is important to lower the heat of the rice to the lowest point possible as soon as there is very little water left in the rice. By using a tight lid on your pan, you can seal it by either wetting a kitchen towel and placing it over the pan, then covering it with a lid.
The rice needs to steam for a good 10 minutes on very low heat before it is ready to be served. It’s time to turn off the power and start serving your chicken and chickpeas pilau!
Enjoy!
