Tavuklu Sultan Kebabı

Sultan’s Chicken Veggie Pockets 

• Oil
• 1 Eggplant
• 1 ½ pounds Chicken Pieces
• 1 Onion, diced
• 2 T. Tomato Paste
• 1 c. Peas
• ½ tsp. Salt
• ½ tsp. Thyme or Oregano
• ½ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• ¼ tsp. Black Pepper
• 12-16 sheets Phyllo Dough*

* Make sure your dough isn’t frozen because you need it pliable. However, it will dry out and become brittle very quickly when exposed to air. Keep it in the sealed package on your counter until you use, or cover the sheets with a slightly damp (not wet) paper towel.

Topping Ingredients:

• 2 T. Butter
• 3 T. Flour
• 1 ½ c. Milk
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

(See below for pictures to follow the directions step-by-step.)

1. Peel & dice Eggplant.
2. Cover the bottom of a saucepan with Oil. Fry the Eggplant until starting to brown.
3. Line a plate with paper towel to soak up oil drips. Remove Eggplant pieces from the pan and place on paper towel. Set aside for later.
4. Add the Chicken Pieces (I bought boneless, skinless breasts and just cut them up, but dark meat works as well if you prefer) and Onion and sauté together until no longer pink.
5. Stir in Tomato Paste. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add Peas and Eggplant pieces. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add Seasonings. Cover and cook an additional 2 minutes.
8. Place a 5-inch bowl on the counter and line the inside with 3-4 sheets of Phyllo Dough. Make sure to leave about 2 inches hang off evenly around the sides. If some pieces break off just put them in the bowl for extra lining.
9. Fill the bowl with the Chicken mixture. (About 1 – 1-1/2 cups of filling.)
10. Using the flaps of Dough hanging over the edges of the bowl, fold them in so that your filling is completely wrapped inside like a round pocket.
11. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
12. Lay your hand flat over the open, top part of the bowl and turn it upside down. Carefully remove the bowl so that you are holding the pocket in your hand. Gently transfer the pocket to the baking dish (the smooth dough part should remain face up and all of the edges on the bottom so you have a beautiful pocket in the dish).
13. Repeat this process until all your filling is finished. Depending on the size of your bowl and how full you fill it you should get about 4 nice size pockets. (I used a slightly larger bowl and filled them really full so I only got three large pockets.) When all the pockets are in the baking dish set it aside.
14. Using a small saucepan on the stove, melt the Butter.
15. Whisk in the Flour and cook until bubbly.
16. Slowly whisk in the Milk. Whisk constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until smooth and just before it boils.
17. Pour the sauce over the top of the pockets in the baking dish.
18. Bake at 375^oF for 20 minutes or until the top just begins to turn golden brown.
19. Sprinkle the Cheese on top of each pocket and pop the dish back into the oven until nicely golden.
20. Use a spatula to carefully transfer each pocket from the dish to eating plate. Serve immediately, a meal fit for the sultan!

* This is fancy pocket works well as an easy one-dish meal. Or can be served with Rice Pilaf or Mevsim Salatası as complimentary sides.

First Step: frying the Eggplant

Next, sauteing Chicken & Onions

Adding Tomato Paste

Cooking with Veggies

Finally filling the pockets

Wrapping the pocket

All the pockets neatly in a greased baking dish

Sauce poured over the pockets, ready to go in the oven

Hot from the oven, after the cheese is melted!

Dinner, fit for a sultan, is served!