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A beautifully roasted Piliç Topkapı chicken bundle served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes with a rich tomato sauce glaze.

Piliç Topkapı (Turkish Stuffed Chicken Thighs)

A classic Turkish palace dish featuring marinated chicken thighs stuffed with aromatic spiced rice, served over creamy mashed potatoes.
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Prep Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Turkish
Calories: 639
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

The Chicken & Marina
  • 4 pieces Boneless chicken thighs
  • ½ cup Milk
  • ¼ cup Vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Red pepper flakes or paprika
  • ½ tsp Black pepper
  • 1 tsp Salt
The Aromatic Rice Filling (İç Pilav)
  • 1 cup White rice, washed and soaked
  • 1 medium Onion, finely diced
  • 2 tbsp Pine nuts
  • 2 tbsp Currants
  • 1.5 cups Hot water
  • 1 tsp Dried mint
  • ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Black pepper
The Sauce & Side
  • 1 tbsp Tomato paste or pepper paste
  • 1.5 cups Water
  • 3 large Potatoes (for mash)
  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • ½ cup Warm milk

Equipment

  • Meat Mallet: To flatten the chicken thighs.
  • Small Bowls or Ramekins: To help shape the bundles during stuffing.
  • Toothpicks or Kitchen String: To secure the chicken.
  • Baking Dish: For the final oven-roasting stage.

Method
 

  1. Thin out the boneless chicken thighs using a meat mallet or the bottom of a glass. In a bowl, mix milk, oil, garlic, and spices. Coat the chicken thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
    Boneless chicken thighs soaking in a creamy milk, oil, and spice marinade in a bowl.
  2. Sauté diced onions in oil until translucent. Add washed rice and pine nuts; sauté until the rice looks glossy. Add currants and spices (mint, cinnamon, sugar, salt, pepper). Pour in 1.5 cups of hot water, cover, and cook on low heat until the water is absorbed. Let the rice rest for 30 minutes.
    The aromatic rice filling cooking in a pot, showing currants, pine nuts, and spices mixed in.
  3. Place a marinated chicken thigh inside a small, deep bowl with the edges hanging out. Fill the center with 3-4 tablespoons of the prepared rice.
    A thinned, marinated chicken thigh lining the inside of a small deep bowl, ready for filling.
  4. Fold the chicken edges over the rice towards the center. Place your palm over the bowl and carefully flip it onto a baking tray. Repeat for all four pieces.
    Spooning the cooked spiced rice pilaf into the center of the chicken thigh inside the bowl.
  5. Prepare a simple sauce by boiling water and tomato paste. Pour it over the chicken. Cover the tray with wet parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for 35 minutes. Remove the paper and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
  6. While the chicken bakes, boil peeled and chopped potatoes until tender. Mash them with butter and gradually add warm milk until you reach a silky consistency.
    Pouring a red tomato and pepper paste sauce over the raw stuffed chicken bundles before roasting.
  7. Place a generous dollop of mashed potato on a plate, top with a golden Piliç Topkapı, and drizzle with some of the pan sauce.
    Close-up of the finished Piliç Topkapı chicken thighs, roasted to a crispy golden-brown color.

Video

Notes

Flatten the chicken thighs slightly before filling them. This makes them easier to fold and helps them cook evenly in the oven while keeping the rice filling inside.