Spiced Chicken and Bulgur Casserole
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 10 cloves mastic
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 pieces chicken thigh
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 6 cardamom pods
Bulgur
- 2.5 cups coarse bulgur
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 4 green bell peppers
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Preparation
Set the middle rack in the oven, preheat to 180°C, and prepare a medium-sized baking dish
For the chicken, in a pot heat the oil and mastic until dissolved, add the onion and stir until wilted
Add the chicken pieces and stir until golden
Cover with water, add salt, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods, bring to a boil, remove foam, cover the pot, and cook for about 20 minutes
Drain the chicken and reserve the broth
Wash the bulgur and soak it for 10 minutes
In a deep skillet, melt the butter and sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes until golden
Add the bulgur, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cardamom, and tomato paste, and stir for a few minutes to combine
Add the bulgur mixture and stir it well with the sauce
Place the bulgur in the baking dish, then place the chicken on top and add the tomatoes and green peppers between the chicken pieces
Add 3 cups of the broth, cover the dish with butter paper then aluminum foil
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the bulgur and chicken are fully cooked, then remove the foil and leave for a few minutes to brown the chicken
