Cypriot Slow-Roasted Chicken – Tavuk Kebabi

I’ve mentioned before how much we love chicken in our house and this was the same growing up. My  Nene and Mum would always use chicken in all their cooking, whether it was chicken wings to create a broth for homemade soups or roasted chicken of some sort. This recipe is one that reminds me of my childhood, Roasted Chicken Thighs, Turkish Cypriot style! This recipe is so easy to make and you can just leave it to cook in the oven for hours and it makes the house smell so delicious. If you like more red meat in your diet this recipe can be used with Lamb Necks, which is another dish my Mum would make.

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 4 people)

8 Chicken Thighs (with the skin on)

2 x 400grams Tinned Chopped Tomatoes

1tbsp Tomato Purée

1 Large Onion, sliced

2 or 3 Large Carrots, peeled, cut in half and then into quarters

6 or 8 White Potatoes, peeled and cut

6 dried Bay Leaves

Half a can of water (use the tomato can)

Olive oil

1tsp Vegetable Bouillon (optional)

Salt and Pepper, to season

METHOD

Preheat fan oven to 180 degrees

In a large roasting dish place the chicken thighs, onions, carrots and potatoes mixed together

Use the olive oil to lightly coat everything

Season with a little salt and pepper (ground Himalayan Pink Salt or fine Sea Salt) 

Add the tinned chopped tomatoes followed by half a tin of water (use the tinned tomatoes tin to get all the juices)

Add the tomato purée and use a metal spoon (or your hands ) to give everything a mix making sure everything is flat in the dish to enable it to cook through evenly

Add the bay leaves on top of the tomato sauce

Cover the dish with foil making sure the edges are sealed to trap the air inside

Place in the centre of the oven and cook for 1 hour

After 1 hour, take the foil off and return back to the centre of the oven and leave for about 30-45 minutes for the top to gently brown (this creates a slight crisp to the outside of the chicken and potatoes)

Serve straight away with rice like Turkish Pilav, homemade hummus, greek yoghurt. Also perfect with a Mediterranean salad and some fresh Cypriot bread.

 Enjoy!