Tavuklu Pilav (Turkish Chicken Rice Pilaf)

Tavuklu pilav is the kind of Turkish chicken-and-rice dish prized for its simplicity: fluffy grains, a buttery savoury base and tender shredded chicken served generously on top. In this version, toasted vermicelli gives the pilaf its familiar golden flecks and a gentle nutty flavour, while cooking the rice in chicken stock keeps the whole dish cohesive rather than plain. The chicken is simmered until soft enough to shred, then kept moist with a little hot stock before serving. It works well as a complete dinner on its own, with the focus on clean seasoning, separate grains and comforting texture rather than heavy sauce.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style Turkish home cooking
Cooking style Make-ahead friendly • Meal prep friendly
Time commitment Under 1 hour

Why this recipe works

  • Savoury depth: Cooking the rice in hot chicken stock gives the pilaf a fuller flavour while keeping the ingredient list short.
  • Fluffy rice, tender chicken: Rinsing, briefly toasting, and resting the rice helps the grains stay light, while the poached chicken remains moist and easy to shred.
  • Toasted vermicelli: Browning the vermicelli in butter adds the nutty aroma and golden flecks associated with Turkish-style rice pilaf.

Get the most out of this recipe

Timing notes

  • Rest the rice before serving: Keep the pan covered after cooking so the steam finishes the grains evenly and the pilaf fluffs up without turning wet.
  • Use the chicken cooking time well: The chicken can be shredded while the rice drains and the vermicelli is toasted, keeping the overall workflow efficient.

Texture tips

  • For fluffier pilaf: Rinse the rice until the water is mostly clear and drain it well before it goes into the butter.
  • Use very low heat: Once the stock is added and the pan is covered, a gentle heat helps the rice cook evenly without catching on the bottom.

Ingredient notes

  • Chicken thighs give better flavour: Bone-in, skin-on thighs enrich the stock as they cook and provide juicy meat for shredding.
  • Watch the vermicelli closely: The vermicelli should turn deep golden rather than dark brown; it moves quickly once the butter is hot.

Make-ahead tips

  • Store rice and chicken separately: Keeping the pilaf and shredded chicken in separate containers helps preserve the rice texture and makes reheating easier.
  • Reheat gently with stock: Add a splash of chicken stock and reheat covered until piping hot, so the rice loosens and the chicken stays moist.

Equipment you'll need

Colander Large pot Saucepan Wooden spoon
Ingredients

Chicken

Pilaf

Instructions
Print
  1. Put the chicken thighs in a large pot and add the chicken stock, 1 tsp of the fine sea salt, and 0.5 tsp of the black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and very tender. Lift the chicken out to a plate and keep the stock hot on a low heat.
  2. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Ladle a little hot stock over the chicken to keep it juicy. Set aside while you cook the pilaf.
  3. Rinse the basmati rice in a colander under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well. In a saucepan over a medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add the vermicelli and cook, stirring, for 2 to 4 minutes until it turns a deep golden colour.
  4. Stir the drained rice into the butter and vermicelli and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the grains. Add 600 ml of the hot chicken stock, the remaining 1 tsp fine sea salt, and the remaining 0.5 tsp black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on a very low heat for 12 minutes.
  5. Turn off the heat and leave the pilaf covered for 10 minutes to steam. Fluff gently with a wooden spoon, taking care not to break the grains. If it looks a touch wet, cover again and rest for 5 minutes more.
  6. Warm the shredded chicken in a small pan with a splash of the hot stock for 2 to 3 minutes, just until piping hot. Spoon the pilaf onto plates and pile the chicken over the top. Serve straight away.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Tips

  • Keep the stock at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil so the chicken stays tender and the stock stays clear.
  • For the fluffiest pilaf, keep the lid on during cooking and resting, and use a very low heat once it reaches a simmer.
  • If serving vulnerable groups, make sure the chicken is cooked until piping hot throughout before shredding and serving.

Substitutions

  • Replace unsalted butter with ghee for a slightly nuttier flavour and higher heat tolerance.
  • Replace basmati rice with jasmine rice for a softer, more fragrant pilaf, keeping the same liquid and timings but checking for doneness at 10 minutes.
  • Replace chicken thighs with chicken breast for a leaner topping, simmering for 15 to 18 minutes until just cooked through to avoid dryness.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 3 days
  • Cool quickly, then refrigerate the pilaf and chicken in separate airtight containers. Reheat with a splash of chicken stock in a covered saucepan over a low heat until piping hot, or microwave covered, stirring halfway. Freeze for up to 2 months; defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Pinterest
Tavuklu Pilav (Turkish Chicken Rice Pilaf)
Image by JustRecipes
Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Total time: 1h (20min active)
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Cuisine: Turkish
  • Allergens:
    Milk
Freezer friendly Kid friendly
Pinterest Signal WhatsApp

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Colander Large pot Saucepan Wooden spoon
Advertisement

Recommended tools for this recipe

Best overall

WMF Mini Saucepan 16 cm with Lid

Compact stainless steel saucepan
  • High-quality stainless steel
  • Even heat distribution
  • Higher price point

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

More variations

View all

More from this course

View all

Cook with these ingredients

Basmati rice

1 cup ≈ 180 g
Convert ingredient→

Black pepper

1 cup ≈ 110.4 g
Convert ingredient→

Chicken stock

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Fine sea salt

1 cup ≈ 268.8 g
Convert ingredient→

Unsalted butter

10 oz ≈ 283 g
Convert ingredient→

More with similar ingredients

View all

You might also like

Make this recipe easier next time

Advertisement

These tools help you get better results with less effort.

Best overall

WMF Mini Saucepan 16 cm with Lid

Compact stainless steel saucepan
  • High-quality stainless steel
  • Even heat distribution
  • Higher price point
Best value

T-fal Specialty Nonstick Handy Pot with Glass Lid 3 Quart

Affordable nonstick saucepan
  • Easy food release
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Not induction compatible
Top quality

All-Clad Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Saucepan

Professional-grade tri-ply saucepan
  • Excellent heat control
  • Premium build quality
  • Expensive

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Explore the Recipe Index

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.