Turkish Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables (Sebzeli, Tavuklu Türlü)

My Mother Made This Chicken and Vegetables Every Sunday

Türlü means “a variety of” or “all kinds of” in Turkish, and to make this one pan dish, Sebzeli, Tavuklu Türlü, we cook or bake a variety of produce, sometimes with the addition of beans, along with chicken. 

My mother was a busy science teacher and she would make this dish on Sundays, so that we had nourishing, wholesome food to eat for a few days early in the week. Following in her footsteps, I love making it, and I included a version of her recipe in my cookbook Istanbul, Delicious Recipes from the Heart of the City. 

You can make it on the stovetop like a stew, but I also love to make a tray bake, a sheet pan meal, so the ingredients caramelize. I make it all year long with whatever seasonal vegetables I have on hand. In summer I use zucchini, peppers, and eggplants; and in wintertime, squash, beets, carrots, leeks, and Swiss chard all work wonderfully. The vegetables infuse their flavor into one another, and the chicken and creamy cannellini beans, too. It makes an easy, nourishing meal that’s perfect for weekdays or making ahead of time.

Key Ingredients

• Chicken: I like using boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe, as it’s lean, easy to slice, and high in protein. Because it bakes with vegetables and in tomato sauce here, they help keep the meat juicy. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as an option. If you do, I suggest trimming off the excess fat. 
• Plain Greek yogurt: Yogurt is a huge part of the Turkish diet, we use in dips, marinades, soups, even in desserts! I like to use whole milk plain yogurt for this dish; it tenderizes the chicken, and adds lovely, naturally creamy texture to the sauce.
• Garlic provides a savory, aromatic base and enhances flavours of the vegetables, chicken and beans. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: In the marinade, it gently thins the yogurt, and helps carry and blend the flavors. It also helps the chicken and vegetables to brown and crisp the vegetables around the edges of the pan during cooking.
• Tomato paste adds intense flavor and natural sweetness that balances the creamy yogurt by giving the marinade a touch of acidity. It also helps marinade to coat the chicken better, and helps the sauce bake into a lovely caramelized crust.
• Turkish biber salçası (red pepper paste): This robust, vibrant condiment adds an umami and depth of flavor to the marinade, and a mild, pleasant heat.
• Vegetables: As mentioned, I change up the vegetables for this dish seasonally. This version, with onion, zucchini, and sweet red peppers, makes for a vibrant color combination.
• Chopped canned tomatoes add moisture, a nice acidity and a deep savory flavor to bind the whole dish together. The tomato juices mix with those from the chicken and vegetables, creating a delicious sauce.
• Ground cumin: One of the most popular spices in Turkish cuisine, the pungent, warm, and earthy flavor of ground cumin compliments the chicken and vegetables.
• Aleppo pepper has a mild, fruity, gentle heat, adds a lovely warmth, gently spicing the dish and adding a vibrant colour.
• Canned cannellini beans add a creamy texture, mild, nutty flavor. Pre-cooked chickpeas, butter beans, or green lentils would be lovely options, too.

How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables

My oven has a convection setting, which incorporates a fan to move the hot air around inside the oven. I prefer to use this convection bake setting because of how it encourages caramelization. If your oven doesn’t have this setting, I recommend baking at a higher temperature to get similar results. 

• Marinate the chicken. Cut 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1 to 1/2-inch chunks. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 tablespoon Turkish pepper paste (or an additional tablespoon tomato paste). Season with salt and black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Combine well with your hands, so the chicken is thoroughly coated. Cover and leave in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to a day.
• Get ready. Preheat the oven to 350˚F using a convection bake setting, if available, or 400˚F, if not. Coarsely chop 1 large onion. Cut 2 medium (about 1 pound) zucchini into 1/2-inch thick slices. Dice 3 Romano or 2 red bell peppers into 3/4-inch chunks. 
• Bake the vegetables and chicken. Place the onion, zucchini, and peppers into a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add the chicken and any remaining marinade, 1 (14.5 ounce) can chopped tomatoes, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper and mix well. Measure 1 3/4 cup water. Swirl a little of the water in the tomato can to capture any remaining bits of tomato and pour it into the pan, and set the remaining water aside. Season with salt and pepper, give everything a final mix, then bake in the oven for 40 minutes. 
• Add the beans. Remove the pan from the oven, stir in 1 (15.5-ounce), drained and rinsed, can cannellini beans and the remaining water, then bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables and chicken have begun to char around the edges.
• Finish and serve. Serve hot with a refreshing salad, and perhaps with creamy haydari.