Tavuk sote (Easy Turkish chicken stew)

Step 1

Heat a wide, thick bottomed pot over medium/high heat. Add the olive oil and brown the chicken in as many rounds as needed, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. The point is to brown the chicken, not cook it through. Set aside.

Step 2

Turn the heat down to medium/low. Fry the onion and peppers in the same pot until softened, but not coloured, 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly and adding more oil if needed. If anything from the frying of the chicken gets stuck to the bottom of the pan and looks like it might burn, add a splash of water too to dissolve this.

Step 3

Add the tomato paste, hot pepper paste (if using), pul biber and sugar. Fry for another minuter or two, stirring constantly.

Step 4

Add the chopped tomatoes, chicken (with any juices) and water. Mix well and bring to the boil, then leave to simmer until the chicken has cooked through, 10-15 minutes.

Step 5

Take off the heat and mix in the flat-leaf parsley. Leave for another 5 minutes before serving, scattering a little more freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley on top, if you like.