Turkish Chicken Kapama Rice

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Turkish Chicken Kapama Rice or Tavuk Kapama is a beautiful baked dish of chicken and rice.  It can be simplified or elaborate. The rice is cooked in the stock from cooking the chicken in several different methods. Here I am sharing my take on this recipe with chicken that is baked on the bone, and then shredded by hand. That way you have succulent boneless chicken in warm rice, that is packed with flavour. Thanks to my friend Kumru for giving me all the pointers I needed.

The Recipe Intro↓ has more information on Tavuk Kapama as well as Recipe Video. Don’t forget to check it out.

Tavuk Kapama or Chicken Kapama Rice with Beef Ribs

You can strike through ingredients, as you prep them, by clicking on the ingredient.

Ingredients: For Baked Chicken

Whole Chicken (with skin, cut into half)		1 Kg
Whole black peppercorns		1 tsp
Sweet Paprika (Turkish Sweet Red Pepper powder if possible- see notes)		1 tsp (or to taste)
Garlic, freshly crushed		3 Tbsp
Salt		1 tsp
Fresh Thyme		3 Sprigs
Fresh Rosemary		1 small sprig
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed		1 Tbsp
Olive oil		2 Tbsp
Large potatoes, cut into chunks		3-4

For the Rice (Pilaf) :

Basmati rice		3 Cups
Unsalted butter		3 Tbsp
Whole black peppercorns		1/2 tsp
Green cardamom pods		4-5
Bay leaf (optional )		1
Olive oil		2 Tbsp
Onion (Vidalia or White Onion), chopped		1 1/2 cup
Mild green chilli, sliced		2 Tbsp
Green bell pepper (capsicum), sliced		2 Tbsp
Tomato paste		1 tsp
Fresh tomatoes, chopped		2
Sweet Paprika (Turkish Sweet Red Pepper powder if possible)		1 tsp
Black pepper powder		3 /4 tsp
Turmeric powder		Less than 1/2 tsp
Water		Up to 6 cups
Salt		2 1/2 tsp
Flour to make the dough lid		250 gms (not for consumption)
(1 onion quartered, 1 small bell pepper, cut into chunks, 2 Tomatoes quartered. 10-12 small hot green chillies)		For Toppings

To Saute the shredded chicken:

Olive oil		2 Tbsp
Crushed garlic		1/4 cup
Sweet Paprika (Turkish Sweet Red Pepper powder if possible)		1 tsp
Mild chilli powder (Kashmiri)		1 tsp
Black pepper powder		1/2 tsp

 

Method:

1. To cook the chicken: Preheat oven to  163 °c / 325 ° F
2. Cut the whole chicken, in half so that you have one leg on each half.
3. It is best to keep the skin on the chicken while baking, to keep the chicken moist.
4. Place the chicken (skin side up) in an ovenproof dish. Add the whole peppercorns, paprika, crushed garlic, salt, rosemary and thyme.
5. Drizzle the Olive oil over the chicken and then massage all ingredients into the chicken. Rub thoroughly, all over, even under the skin.
6. Place the potato chunks along with the chicken to fill the baking dish. You can place them underneath the chicken also. Add a sprinkling of extra salt on the potatoes.
7. Place the chicken in the oven on the lower rack and bake for 40 minutes. Transfer to the top rack   ( and turn the oven setting to Broiler). Continue to cook for 20- 25 minutes, till the skin has turned golden brown and crisped up a bit. Leave to cool while preparing the rice.
8. For the Rice: Rince the Basmati Rice a few times till the water runs clear. Add fresh water and leave to soak for 10 minutes.
9. Drain the rice into a colander and set aside for 10 minutes.
10. Heat butter (3 Tbsp) in a pan and add the drained rice. Add the black peppercorns(1/2tsp)  and green cardamom(4-5). Optionally, you may also add one bay leaf.
11. Fry on medium heat for 2 minutes, till nice and aromatic.
12. Transfer the fried grains to a large enough earthen pot for cooking the rice. Spread the rice evenly over the bottom of the pot.
13. Return the pan to heat and add Olive oil(2Tbsp).  Saute the chopped onions(1 1/2 cups), till softened.
14. To this, add the sliced green chilli(2Tbsp) and capsicum(2Tbsp) and saute briefly.
15. Stir in the tomato paste(1tsp) and stir till mixed t    hrough. Also, add the chopped tomatoes(2).
16. Cook till the tomatoes are softened to a pulp.
17. Add the sweet paprika(1tsp), black pepper powder(3/4tsp) and turmeric powder(lessthan1/2tsp). Stir briefly till spices are cooked.
18. Now transfer the sauteed ingredients over the rice in the earthenware. Do not mix, just spread over the rice layer.
19. By now, the chicken is baked with crisp skin and cooled down. Remove the chicken and potatoes from the baking dish. Strain the remaining liquids and measure it. I got 1 cup of this broth.
20. Add this and enough water to make precisely 6 cups of liquid. Be. very accurate here. Pour over the rice. Still not stirring. Add salt (2 1/2tsp) and bring to boil.
21. As soon as boiling, reduce the heat to minimum and cook with a tight lid till the water is completely absorbed. (10 minutes approximately)
22. Meanwhile, Remove the skin from the chicken, and then use hands to shred the meat off the bone. It should come off super easily.
23. While the rice is cooking, also prepare a simple dough using 250 gms of flour and water. I added a little yeast starter to help to roll the dough easily. It is not for consuming, but if you would like to eat it, I would prepare the dough similar to making naans.
24. Preheat oven to  212 °C / 415 ° F.
25. One the rice is cooked, remove the lid and place under a fan to allow some of the steam to escape. Do not stir.
26. Saute the shredded chicken: Add olive oil(2Tbsp) to pan and heat. Add the crushed garlic(1/4cup) and saute till fragrant without changing colour.
27. Add the paprika(1tsp), chilli powder(1tsp) , black pepper powder(1/2tsp). Stir till fragrant and add the shredded chicken.  Just toss this well till everything is heated..Taste and add more salt if needed here.
28. Add the sauteed chicken mixture over the cooked rice. Add the baked potatoes as well as quartered onion, tomato and chopped bell pepper over the top.
29. Fire roast 10-12 hot green chillies on a skewer and add these on top as well.
30. Roll out the dough into a circle large enough to fall over the edges of the earthen pot.  Place on top of the pot and seal the edges gently. Brush the surface with an egg wash with a little oil and milk added to it.
31. Bake: Place in the preheated oven with heat from above and below. Bake for 20 minutes or till the dough is cooked. If the dough is browning too fast. reduce the heat, or provide heat from below only(if that is an option on your oven)
32. To serve: Place the clay pot on a large plate lined with foil paper. Add a few drops of wax(used in tabletop wax stoves) around the pot. ONLY a few dabs. Light this using a long lighter.
33. Then, before the gentle flames around the pot dye down, cut one half of the dough sheet and pull to one side.
34. The steaming hot Tavuk Kapama is ready. Serve with Turkish Roasted Eggplant Yoghurt Dip and Beef Ribs.

 

Turkish Chicken Kapama Rice

 

Notes:

• Turkish Chilli pepper has perfectly balanced heat and flavour, sweet and rich and almost smoky. This Turkish crushed chilli has an ancho-like flavour with a little more heat and tartness. It’s chunkier than paprika, so the flavour pops more. If you do not have this, use sweet paprika, combined with chilli flakes. Not smoked Paprika.
• If you do not want to use the dough, to seal the pot, you may use a double layer of Aluminium foil. Make sure to seal tightly before baking. If you do not have an oven, place the pot on indirect heat after sealing and cook on low heat for  20 minutes. It is better to use the ‘Dum’ method in that case (as used for Cooking Biryani) OR use a damp cloth followed by a heavy lid to cover tightly.
• Keeping the skin & bones on while roasting, keeps the chicken moist and tender.
• Regular olive oil or Evoo may be used here.
• Do not attempt the fire lit display without proper precaution. Only a few drops of burner wax must be used. Adult supervision.  Make sure there are no flammable substances nearby.
• When sauteing the shredded chicken, add spice to your taste. I have tried adding some Kabsa Spice mix, and it was also very nice.
• To make Beef or Lamb Kapama, you can replace the chicken with lamb or beef using the recipe for my Turkish Beef Ribs. Use the liquids remaining after baking the ribs and follow the recipe for Chicken kapama. I prefer to serve the beef ribs along with Chicken Kapama.

Key Ingredients: Chicken, Rice, Garlic, Onion, Green Chilli, Tomato paste, Lime Juice, Olive oil, Butter, Salt, Spices(Paprika, Chilli powder, Black Pepper, Green Crdamom, Bayleaf,  Turmeric), Herbs (Thyme and Rosemary ), Vegetables(Potato, Tomato, Green Bell Pepper).

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