Chicken Sauté, known as Tavuk Sote in Turkey, is made in one pan with peppers, tomato, and a few simple spices. The chicken gets seared first, then briefly simmered with the vegetables until everything turns soft and saucy. It's ready in about 30 minutes, with no marinating needed.
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You'll find tavuk sote at esnaf lokantası, small local diners in Turkey that serve quick, homemade meals. It's also a regular dinner at home, especially on nights when you don't have much time to cook.
The sauce comes together with tomato paste and a little water while the chicken and vegetables cook down together. Serve it with Turkish Rice or warm Bazlama bread to soak up the sauce.
What Is Chicken Sauté (Tavuk Sote)?
Sote is a Turkish term for sauté, a cooking technique where meat or vegetables are browned in a hot pan and then simmered with tomato and pepper paste until the sauce thickens. Tavuk sote specifically refers to chicken sauté, which is among the most popular methods of preparing chicken in Turkish households, alongside Chicken Shish Kebab.
Most Turkish cooks make it their own way. Some add onion or red pepper paste, while others keep it simple with only peppers, tomato, and garlic. Chicken breast is the most popular cut, but thighs are also a good choice if you prefer a juicier texture.
Why This Recipe Works
- Chicken Sauté comes together fast, with simple ingredients and just one pan to clean.
- It's easy to customize. Add zucchini, eggplant, or peas if you want more vegetables in the mix.
- Sautéed chicken freezes well, so you can make a double batch and freeze half for later.
- This dish is low in fat, high in protein, and budget-friendly.
- Tavuk Sote reheats well, making it a good make-ahead dinner for busy weeknights.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, the complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Chicken - I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces in this recipe. You can use chicken thighs if you prefer. If your chicken is frozen, make sure to defrost or thaw it before using it.
- Mushrooms - Chestnut mushrooms work great in this chicken dish as they tend to hold their shape much better than other mushrooms when cooked and retain their meaty bite. Alternatively, you can use white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms.
- Red Peppers - You can use Romano peppers, bell peppers, and yellow or orange peppers.
- Green peppers - I prefer using Turkish green peppers for this dish. They are one of the most popular peppers used in Turkish cuisine. They are usually mild but some of them can be quite hot. You can replace them with bell pepper or Spanish Padron peppers.
- Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavoring that adds sweetness and nuttiness to dishes. Thinly slice them before adding them to the dish. I use two large or three small fresh garlic cloves for this recipe.
- Olive oil - I use a good quality olive oil to achieve the best flavor. You can substitute it with butter.
How to Make Chicken Sauté (Tavuk Sote)
Put a large wok or a frying pan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is hot, sear the chicken pieces until slightly browned.
Set them aside on a plate. Avoid overcrowding the pan; do it in batches if necessary.
Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan, sauté the mushrooms, and stir in the garlic before adding the peppers.
Sauté the peppers for a few minutes and then stir in the tomato paste.
Add the tomatoes, cooked chicken pieces, paprika, salt, thyme or oregano, and water, and give them a good stir.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook it on medium heat for 10 minutes, until the chicken pieces are thoroughly cooked.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- When searing the chicken, avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook it in batches if needed so the pieces brown instead of steam.
- Cut the chicken into even, bite-sized pieces so everything cooks through at the same time.
- Use a wide pan rather than a deep pot so the chicken sears instead of steaming.
- Let the sauce simmer uncovered for the last minute or two if you want it thicker, or add a splash of water if it looks dry.
- Taste and adjust the salt and paprika near the end of cooking, the flavor gets more concentrated as the sauce reduces.
Serving Suggestions
This simple chicken recipe works best with a generous portion of Yellow Rice (Indian Turmeric Pilau Rice), Bulgur Pilaf, and Creamy Mashed Potatoes.
Guyanese Oil Roti, Greek Bread - Horiatiko Psomi, or Turkish Pide Bread (Ramazan Pidesi) are also great for mopping up the juices.
For a healthier option, try Kisir (Turkish Bulgur Salad), Beetroot Salad, or Indian Chickpea Salad (Chana Salad).
Storage and Reheating
Chicken Sauté is a great dish to make ahead. The flavors settle in and taste even better the next day, so cooking it in advance works in your favor.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to three months. To reheat, warm it in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water until hot, or microwave it in short bursts, stirring in between.
Recipe FAQs
No. Tavuk sote is briefly simmered for about 10 minutes, just long enough for the sauce to come together, while a stew usually cooks much longer with more liquid. Think of it as a quick pan sauté rather than a slow-cooked stew.
Sautéing uses medium-high heat and the food stays mostly in one place in the pan, while stir-frying uses very high heat with constant, fast tossing. This chicken sauté is cooked more gently than a stir-fry, so it stays tender instead of charred.
Not as written. It's seasoned with paprika, salt, and black pepper. If you like heat, stir in a pinch of pul biber (Turkish red pepper flakes) or use hot paprika instead of sweet.
Related Recipes
For more delicious chicken recipes, try:
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I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious Turkish Chicken Sauté dish as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Chicken Sauté (Tavuk Sote)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh (cut into small pieces) (700 grams)
- 1½ cups sliced button mushrooms or chestnut mushroom (200 grams)
- 2-3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 medium onion (diced) optional, for a different flavor
- 3½ oz sliced red pepper (sweet Romano pepper) (100 grams)
- 3½ oz sliced Turkish green pepper (100 grams)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon red pepper paste (biber salçası) optional, adds extra depth alongside the tomato paste
- 1¼ cups diced tomatoes (250 grams)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup water (50 ml)
Instructions
- Put a large wok or a frying pan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- When the pan is hot, sear the chicken pieces until slightly browned and then set them aside on a plate. Avoid overcrowding the pan, do it in batches if necessary.
- Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms and garlic before adding the peppers.
- Sauté the peppers for a few minutes and then stir in the tomato paste.
- Add the tomatoes, cooked chicken pieces, paprika, salt, thyme, or oregano, and water, and give them a good stir.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook it on medium heat for 10 minutes, until the chicken pieces are thoroughly cooked.
Notes
- Onion and red pepper paste are optional. This version uses mushrooms and paprika instead, but you can stir in a diced onion with the garlic, or a spoonful of red pepper paste with the tomato paste, for a different flavor.
- You can halve the amount of olive oil to cut back on fat. Use a nonstick pan so the chicken and vegetables don't stick without it.
- If you're using frozen chicken, thaw it fully before cooking so it browns instead of steaming.
- Use sweet or hot paprika depending on how much heat you like, or add a pinch of pul biber (Turkish red pepper flakes) for extra spice.
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to three months.
- To reheat, warm it in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water, or microwave until hot.
Barry says
Made as per the recipe. Delicious. Thank you!
Emily says
So yummy! Easy recipe, I have very minimal cooking skills and my family loved this!! We have shared this recipe with friends & family with rave reviews.
Ayla Clulee says
Hi, Emily! I am so glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
Best wishes
Ayla x
Tess says
This was amazing. My family loved this and will be one of my go to chicken recipes. Thank you for the detailed steps.
Rahsen says
My family loves this recipe. So easy to prepare and so delicious!!