Chicken Liver Wrap (Tavuk Ciğer Dürüm)

Nutritious and quick to prepare! Those are the first things that come to my mind when I think of chicken liver. Due to the fact that liver is rich in iron levels, I try to incorporate them in the twins diet. In the summer when my twins started eating meats, I had them try liver and they actually liked it. After a long while, I tried it again and they really enjoyed them. However, they only eat it fresh and don’t like to eat it as leftover the next day. So I had plenty of chicken liver to cook with after taking out their portion which led me to make chicken liver dürüm (Turkish wrap) which was wrapped with Turkish lavaş bread that was purchased at a Turkish market. Of course, those packaged lavaş breads are nowhere near the freshly made lavaş breads made in Turkey, but we’ve got to work with what’s available. I actually would love to try to make lavaş bread one day. If I do, I will definitely share the recipe here. Even with the packaged lavaş bread, these turned out really delicious!

For the Liver Sauté:

1 lb fresh chicken liver

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried thyme (ground or crushed)

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp cumin

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

¼ tsp ground black pepper

¾ tsp salt

 

For the Dürüm:

 

2 lavash breads (or any other flat bread)

Zerzevat (see recipe under previous post Chicken Shish Kebab (Tavuk Şiş Kebab) and Zerzavat (Onion Salad with Sumac and Parsley) ---cut the ingredients in half from the previously posted recipe, i.e. half onion)

Wash and drain the chicken livers. Dry with paper towel and cut each liver into four pieces.

Heat olive oil. Add the liver. Sprinkle with salt, red pepper flakes, cumin, thyme and black pepper. Stir well so that all the spices integrate into the liver. Cook for a few minutes stirring continuously or until the liver takes a dark brown color. Remove from heat and add the parsley. Give it another stir.

 

 

Heat the lavash bread in the oven for 1 minute or until warm and soft. Divide the liver into two servings and place on the breads. Add the onion salad and roll the bread keeping the liver and the onion salad tucked inside.

Enjoy with salad and plain, cold yogurt.

Broiled Chicken Marinated in Pomegranate Juice (Nar Suyu ile Izgara Tavuk)

There was a pomegranate in the fruit drawer of my refrigerator for a long time. For weeks and weeks (pomegranates can keep for months) every time I would open the drawer to grab a quick piece of fruit, it would stare at me and I would stare back at it thinking that it is time to eat it. This repeated almost every day for quite some time until finally I had an idea (certainly not a new one) that I could use its juice in my cooking as it is cumbersome to eat the pomegranate. It is more cumbersome to open it and remove all the juicy seeds! Since I finally went through all that trouble to open it and remove the seeds, I thought I would eat half of it. The other half went into the blender to create the juice.

 

With my little ones and my job, it is very hard to find the time to cook or enjoy a piece of fruit by myself. As a person who loves to eat good food, I miss cooking and eating well. For a few months, we tried to eat prepared food since we had no choice (either that or we went hungry), but I got tired of it quickly. Now, I try to cook maybe once or twice a week with whatever is leftover from the boys’ meal ingredients. Since my babies started solid food, I have been cooking their meals as I refuse to give them prepared foods. No matter what, I do make the time to cook for them. I just had to reorganize my priorities. I did try to feed them prepared meals only a couple of times, however I know what I cook for them is far better and healthier. Their meals include but not limited to eggs, salmon, dover sole, chicken, beef, lamb, tofu, fennel, leeks, swiss chard, carrots, beets, collard greens, red, brown or black rice, bulgur, a variety of fruits (fresh and dried), nuts and etc. I also incorporate different types of spices as I want them exposed to these spices early on so they will be open to different types of flavors. I use cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, curry, red pepper paste (mild), ground black pepper, red pepper (mild), thyme, garlic, parsley and etc. in their meals. They like it all and I am happy to see that as they are only 15 months old.

 

This chicken recipe was created for them and I added a couple extra pieces. The chicken was delicious. The skin looks burned due to the red pepper paste, but the chicken itself was very moist and flavorful.  With rice and salad, it was just perfect for me. My boys liked it very much too. I hope you will also enjoy it.

 

4 pieces of chicken legs (any part of chicken works)

½ large pomegranate (or 1 small one)

Juice of 2 lemons

1 tsp red pepper paste

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

 

Blend the fresh pomegranate and strain to remove the seeds. Discard the seeds and add the lemon juice, red pepper paste, ground black pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Blend again. Puncture the chicken pieces from several places with a fork to allow the sauce to get inside the meat. Place the chicken in the sauce and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

 

 

Remove the chicken from the sauce and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle the salt on both sides of the chicken pieces and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil.

 

Bring the oven to a broil and broil 5-7 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked.

 

Note: Ovens may vary, therefore there may be a need to adjust the cooking time. Also, the amount of the pomegranate doesn’t really matter that much as long as you have enough juice to cover all the chicken.

 

Green Beans with Chicken (Tavuklu Yeşil Fasülye)

This recipe is my third green bean recipe that has been posted on my blog. The previous two recipes were completely vegetarian which is how I usually prefer my green bean stew. Since I like change every once in a while, one day, I decided to make green bean stew with chicken. I will also make the beef version another time. All three versions are common in Turkish cuisine.

The green bean stew turned out amazing; we could not have enough of it. Therefore, I decided to post it on my blog and share it with you all.

This can be served hot with rice or bulgur pilaf or just with bread.



1 ½ lb green beans
2 large tomatoes or 4 medium tomatoes (peeled and diced)
1 small onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 chicken breasts with bone in cut in large pieces or 1 lb chicken wings
¼ cup olive oil
4 tsp salt
½ green pepper (bell pepper or cubanelle pepper) (sliced)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp red pepper paste
½ tsp coarse black pepper
3 cups water

Cut the ends of each green bean and slice in the middle without cutting through the end. The beans will split in two and stay attached at the bottom. Take the split beans that are attached at the bottom and cut diagonally around 1 ½ inch long. If you are in a hurry, cut the beans diagonally without slicing in the middle. When the beans are split in half, all the wonderful juices go inside them which will produce a delicious flavor.

Heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Sprinkle half of the salt on the chicken. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onions are transparent. Put the green beans with the rest of the ingredients in the pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the green pepper and tomatoes to the pot. Dissolve the red pepper and tomato paste in water. Add to the pot. Stir. Throw in the rest of the salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cook on medium heat for about 30-40 minutes. Then, lower heat and cook for another 30-40 minutes until the beans are soft. Serve warm with rice or bulgur pilaf.

Chicken Breasts with Vegetables (Sebzeli Tavuk)

This chicken dish came together one night when I threw a bunch of ingredients I had on hand together for a dinner. Most of my cooking involves throwing things together unless it is for a specific recipe that I want to publish in my blog or for company. Working full time and cooking after a long day of work is not an easy thing and we prefer fresh, home-cooked meals, therefore I usually just make up a quick meal (max 30 minutes) on weekdays with the ingredients in my fridge and pantry. Also, I rarely have a grocery list when I go to the grocery store, so whatever looks fresh and appealing that day ends up in my shopping cart and then my fridge. Most of these quick 30 minute meals usually are not Turkish, however may be inspired by Turkish/Mediterranean cooking. This chicken recipe is inspired by Mediterranean cuisine and certainly took longer than 30 minutes to prepare, however it tasted really good. So it made the list of recipes to be published.

Before we get to the recipe, I would like to share that my next post will be the GIVEAWAY! One lucky winner will get a nice prize!

Now, here is the recipe.

3 bone-in chicken breasts
2 yellow potatoes (diced thick)
2 carrots (sliced thick)
1 red pepper (sliced lengthwise)
1 bunch green onions (cut thick)
5-6 cremini mushrooms (quartered)
½ cup parsley (chopped)
2 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon

Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large pot. Place the chicken breasts and sprinkle half of salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, cumin, oregano and rosemary on top. Cook for 5 minutes without cover. Turn the chicken breast over and sprinkle the rest of the salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, cumin, oregano and rosemary. Cook for 5 minutes. Squeeze the half lemon on top of the chicken breasts. Add the potatoes and stir so that the spices integrate with the potatoes. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, carrots, red peppers. Give it a stir and cover lid. Turn heat down to low and cook covered for 35-40 minutes. Turn off stove and uncover the pot. Stir in the green onions. Turn on the oven broiler and place the pot in the middle rack with the chicken on sitting on top of the vegetables. Broil about 8-10 minutes on each side until the chicken get a golden color. Remove from broiler and stir in the chopped parsley. Serve with rice and/or flat bread.

Chickpeas with Chicken (Tavuklu Nohut)

Here is a nutritious recipe full of protein. Chickpeas by themselves are full of protein, so for vegetarians, the chicken can be omitted from the recipe and you can still have a tasty and nutritious dish! Chickpeas with chicken or beef are very common in Turkish cuisine; sometimes they are saucy, sometimes on the drier side. Feel free to experiment with different spices and meats.


1 ½ cup chickpeas
1 small onion (chopped fine)
2 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (cubed)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp tomato paste
2 ½ tsp red pepper paste
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
2 tsp salt (adjust to your taste)
1 ½ cups water


Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain and boil in a pot for about 30 minutes. They should be soft, but not mushy after boiling.

In a large pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Saute chicken cubes until they start to take whitish color. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add chickpeas and sauté for approximately 6 minutes.

Add salt, cumin, black pepper to the pot. Dissolve the tomato and red pepper pastes in water. Add to the pot. Stir the ingredients in the pot and cook covered on medium heat for approximately 40 minutes. Make sure the chickpeas are soft to eat.

Sprinkle the chopped parsley on top and serve.

Grilled Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks (Izgara Tavuk Budu)

This recipe was also made in the middle of the Rocky Mountains of Canada with a beautiful view of nature as mentioned in the last post. The grilled chicken turned out to be very moist and flavorful. The first weekend we made this (slightly a different version), I did not document it. Since it turned out so good, the following weekend, I tried to remember the ingredients and their proportions. This time I documented them and created this post. Enjoy

5 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
5 chicken drumsticks
½ garlic clove
1 tsp blackening spice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp red pepper sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 ¼ tsp sea salt

Flat bread (optional)


With a sharp knife, stab the chicken drumsticks from 4-5 different places so that the marinade seeps into the flesh of the chicken and cooks faster.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except chicken.

When all the ingredients are married together, add the chicken and cover all the chicken with marinade.

Refrigerate for 5 hours. Heat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Cook chicken about 10 minutes on each side.

Lay out some flat bread on a plate and place the chicken on the flat bread along with onion salad and grilled vegetables.

Chicken Shish Kebab (Tavuk Şiş Kebab) and Zerzavat (Onion Salad with Sumac and Parsley)

Chicken shish kebabs (şiş kebap- şiş means skewer and kebap means cubed, grilled meat) are an excellent alternative to regular lamb or beef şiş kebabs, especially for people who are not fond of red meat. When accompanied with zerzavat (onion salad with sumac and parsley) and rice or flat bread, it can make an excellent meal. Any type of meat can be used for şiş kebabs; however the most common ones are beef and lamb. Kebabs are also can be made with vegetables such as green peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, onions and etc.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
½ tbsp red pepper paste
1 clove of garlic (chopped finely)
½ tbsp thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt

10 bamboo skewers or regular skewers
1 tsp olive oil for greasing the skewers

Vegetables on the Side:

1 bell pepper
2 plum tomatoes
1 white or yellow onion

Cut the chicken breasts into cubes. Put in a large bowl. Add the red pepper paste, garlic, thyme and salt. Add the olive oil and as the last step, add the lemon juice. With your hands (wear kitchen gloves so you do not make your hands messy) integrate all the ingredients so they are distributed evenly on the chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

If you are using bamboo skewers, soak the bamboo skewers for 30 minutes in water prior to cooking the chicken, so that they do not burn during broiling or grilling. Oil the skewers ¾ of the way only, so that you have a place to hold the skewers without greasing your hands. Take each chicken cube and insert into the skewer, again ¾ of the way, not all the way.

Cut up the bell pepper in squares and quarter the onion. Start inserting the peppers, onions and one tomato in each greased skewer. Alternate the vegetables so that they look colorful.


Heat the broiler or grill. Broil or grill each side of the skewer for 12-13 minutes. Enjoy with rice pilaf and zerzavat.


Zerzavat (Onion Salad with Sumac and Parsley)

1 medium red onion (white or yellow will also work)
1 tbsp sumac
½ tsp salt
¼ cup parsley (chopped)
4 lemon wedges

Cut onion in half. Slice each half in thin slices so that you have half rings of onions. Sprinkle the salt and mix with the onion. Add the chopped parsley and sumac. Mix well. You may squeeze the lemon on top of the onion salad or you may serve with lemon wedges and squeeze the lemon while eating. Enjoy with grilled meat, chicken or fish.

Fried Chicken Wings (Tavuk Kanat Kızartması)

As we all know, fried foods are always delicious, but not very healthy as fried foods contain excessive oil. As a substitute, I have turned to broiling foods that are conventionally fried. I seldom fry anything as I try to minimize the oil intake into our bodies. In fact, for the longest time, I turned away from frying completely as I was probably influenced by my uncle who to my knowledge has never ever fried anything.

In the past couple years, I realized that I was longing for some of the traditional foods that I grew up with (such as İçli Köfte and Fried Potatoes) that taste best when fried. Now, once in a blue moon, I do fry either potatoes or chicken and of course İçli Köfte.

One day, I felt like having some comfort food and decided to allow us to eat something unhealthy (chicken wings)! The oil I used is incomparable to what most restaurants use. In my house, canola or olive oil is used for frying and for regular cooking only olive oil is used. The chicken wings used in this recipe are organic as I purchase organic poultry and meat. What I am trying to get to is that, these chicken wings are much healthier home made than buying them at a restaurant.

With a simple Mediterranean twist on the chicken wings, they had a great taste.


16 chicken wings
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup olive oil
3 tbsp parsley (chopped)
1 tsp red pepper flakes for garnishing
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt (adjust to your taste)


Heat the olive oil in a large pan.

In a medium sized bowl, place the eggs, paprika, black pepper and 2 tbsp of the chopped parsley. Mix vigorously until all ingredients are mixed together.

In a large plate or Pyrex dish spread the flour.

Salt the chicken wings. Dip them in the egg mixture, then immediately in the flour. Fry until golden brown. Garnish with the rest of the parsley and red pepper flakes and serve hot.

Dolma with Dried Eggplants (Kuru Patlican Dolması)

Have you ever had dried eggplants? Dried eggplants are very evocative of my childhood. My regular readers, may think that I have numerous foods that bring back my childhood memories. That is because I had not had most these foods since I was a young girl. Now that I am exploring cooking (especially Turkish cooking), I am recalling many foods that I have missed all these years. The first 10 years I had been in the U.S., I was almost completely removed from Turkish language, culture, people and hence the wonderful traditional food. A time comes when one does feel the reconnection with ones past; sooner or later. To me, this started when I started running into some very familiar Mediterranean ingredients in stores and got excited. Yes, I used to get excited when I saw Mediterranean foods or ingredients and was ecstatic when I saw Turkish brands. It was so rare or non-existent in most of the places I had lived.

Before I get off the subject, last summer when I visited home and was getting ready to come back to my other home, I asked my mother if she had any dried eggplants. It was the middle of the summer and thus fresh eggplants were everywhere; so no one had them.

I did leave home without the dried eggplants last summer and actually forgot about them, until recently when my sister visited home. My lovely mother had sent me bunch of dried eggplants with her. I had forgotten about them, but apparently, she had not. I guess that is how mothers are. I was very excited about them and did not take me long before I made dolmas with the dried eggplants.

Since ancient times, Mediterranean people dried eggplants, tomatoes, peppers and okra beneath the hot, intense Mediterranean sun during the summer in preparation for the winter. In the old times, vegetables were not always available throughout the year. Nowadays, we can find almost any vegetable or fruit year round due to agricultural advances; however, vegetables and fruits always taste the best when in season. In any case, the tradition of drying vegetables comes from lack of the vegetables during a certain season. The vegetables are salted and left on top of the roofs or balconies of houses in large trays or in long strings. This tradition still continues; not because of lack of vegetables, but because of that distinct flavor that comes out of dried vegetables. They are still sold in various markets in Turkey and maybe here in the U.S. too.

I have also seen eggplants cut in long pieces and dried for purposes of stew with tomato sauce similar to ‘Patlıcan Bastırma’. It would be cooked the same way by substituting fresh eggplants with dried ones. This recipe shows eggplants that are carved inside and dried to be used for making dolmas. This is what I was yearning for. So, here is the recipe.

Note: 50 eggplants may sound like as a large number, but they were very small. My mom said she particularly selected them small as they look cuter and easier to eat. If you have larger eggplants, you will need fewer than 50 for sure.

50 small dried eggplants
4 small tomatoes (cut up in small cubes to close the eggplants)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove
3 sprigs mint
2 cups water

Any stuffing; vegetarian (rice), beef or chicken will work perfectly. I used the stuffing with chicken from my Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe.

For the Chicken Stuffing:

1½ cups short grain rice
1 lb ground chicken
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 large chopped garlic clove (or 2 small ones)
Juice of 1 lime
½ chopped onion
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp red pepper paste
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Fill a large pot with water and boil. When it boils, turnoff the heat and add the dried eggplants. Let them soak for about 20-25 minutes. The eggplants will become soft after soaking.

Wash the inside and outside of the eggplant with hot water 3 times. Since the eggplants are dried, we want to make sure we get rid of any dust they have collected. Let the eggplants drain after washing.

Mix all the ingredients for stuffing with your hands to make sure all the ingredients are integrated. Set aside. I always use first aid gloves for this as I do not want to make my hands take different colors.

Stuff each eggplant up to the top, but leave a 1/2 of an inch of room, so that when the rice expands after cooking, it will have room.

Close the eggplants with a small cube of the tomato.

Arrange in a large pot.

Squeeze the lemon on top of the stuffed eggplants and throw in the sliced garlic and the mint. Add the water and place two-three small plates to add weight on the eggplants so that they stay compact. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cook another 30-40 minutes.

Bulgur Pilaf with Ground Chicken

Bulgur pilafs can be prepared in numerous ways in Turkey. This pilaf includes both chicken and vegetables. Traditionally, Turkish pilafs are made with either lentils, chickpeas, vermicelli, orzo pasta, vegetables, lamb or beef. The chicken worked out perfectly in the pilaf, however, if you prefer, you may substitute with beef or lamb. I actually liked the chicken in the pilaf as it is lighter than beef.

This recipe was given to me by my sister who created this dish for a Christmas party. I was not sure how the pilaf would turn out with the cranberries and the lemon juice, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how the combination of flavors turned out. In Turkish cuisine, currants and raisins are widely used, especially in pilafs, so the cranberries were not foreign in the pilaf. The lemon juice also provided a mysterious pleasant taste that left you wondering where it is coming from. This pilaf can be eaten as a meal by itself as it includes grains, vegetables and meat all in one dish.

After my husband ate this pilaf, he began teasing me that my sisters are naturally good cooks and it must be something running in the family. I think he is right as both my sisters enjoy cooking as a hobby and every once in a while contribute to my blog by either giving me recipes or ideas. It sounds like, only if we were all together, we could start a restaurant!

2 ½ cups bulgur (medium grind)
1 ½ lb ground chicken
1 yellow onion (chopped)-optional
1 green bell pepper (diced)
2 ripe tomatoes (peeled and diced)
½ cup dried cranberries (tart & sweetened)
1/3 cup brown lentils
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
5 cups of chicken broth or water
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

In a large pot, heat olive oil and place the chicken. Cook until the chicken is cooked or takes a whitish color; stirring occasionally. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add lentils and sauté approximately 5 minutes. Add cranberries, green peppers and tomatoes. Squeeze the lemon on top and sauté another 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and let it boil. Add the bulgur, the salt and the black pepper and cook covered on medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed in the bulgur.

Decorate with pickled small peppers, parsley and onion. Serve warm.

Stuffed Chicken Breast (Tavuk Göğsü Dolması)

I had the pleasure of making these chicken breasts for the first time for company we had a while ago. As I enjoy cooking, I enjoy sharing the food I cook even more. These chicken breasts turned out very flavorful and moist. This dish is made Turkish style even though one of the ingredients (Pepper Jack cheese) is not traditionally Turkish. I used this cheese since I did not want to add too many spices, but still have a nice flavor. This cheese already has some peppers in it, so the combination with mushrooms and parsley produces an exquisite taste. If you prefer, you may substitute the cheese with another type of cheese.

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 large white cap mushrooms
1 garlic clove
¼ cup parsley
½ lb pepper Jack cheese
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
Juices of 2 lemons
Salt

Cut the mushrooms in half and slice. Cut each slice in three pieces. It is faster to cut a mushroom in half and slicing each half and without separating the slices chopping it again.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add the garlic. Add the mushrooms, oregano and salt. Adjust salt to your taste. When the mushrooms become soft (after 5-6 minutes), add the parsley. Remove from heat and let cool.

Slice the cheese in ¼ of an inch in thickness and in the size of 1 square inch. Take each chicken breast and remove the fat that is around it. With a sharp carving knife slit an opening in the middle of the thicker side of the chicken breast. Using that opening, slowly and gently cut through the chicken breast without cutting an opening on the sides. Place 2 pieces of the sliced cheese in the breast. Add to a spoonful of the mushroom mixture until the chicken breast is full. Be careful not to overstuff as it may cause the meat to create an unwanted opening which will cause the cheese to leak out while cooking. Close the opening of the chicken breast with bamboo skewers. I cut the bamboo skewers in half in order to be able to use them.

Once all the chicken breasts are stuffed, place 1 tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lemon and salt on one side of the chicken breasts. Turn over and add the same ingredients with the same amount to the other side of the breasts. Refrigerate overnight.

Turn on your oven broiler. Broil each side of the chicken for 10 minutes or when the breasts become light brown. Enjoy with rice, potatoes or pasta.

Chicken in the Pot (Tencerede Tavuk)

1 ¾ lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
1 lb cherry tomatoes
1 large red bell pepper (sliced lengthwise)
5 small white potatoes (quartered)
½ lb cremini mushrooms (cut in half)
1/3 lb pearl onions
5 garlic cloves
7 sprigs fresh oregano
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add the chicken. Turn the chicken pieces over when they take a brownish color. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken. Feel free to adjust salt and pepper according to your liking after adding the rest of the ingredients. I always taste the food before deciding if it needs more salt or not. Add potatoes, pearl onions, red bell pepper and mushrooms. Stir all the ingredients in the pot. Cook for three minutes and add the rest of the ingredients except parsley and stir again. Cover pot and cook for 50 minutes on low heat. Turn the heat off and add parsley to the pot and cover again for five minutes. Remove the fresh oregano and rosemary sprigs before serving.