Bulgur pilaf with vermicelli and Chicken

This bulgur pilaf with chicken and vermicelli is one of these dishes that I make when I am not in the mood for rice but am looking for something healthy and filling at the same time. This bulgur is very simple yet satisfying. It makes a wonderful meal. 

Bulgur pilaf is known in Kurdish as “Savar”.you can make it with or without chicken. You can serve Bulgur pilaf as a main dish or a side dish. Its often served with chopped salad, cucumber yogurt salad, or yogurt drink. 

It is a traditional dish in Kurdistan because it costs very little and straightforward when making it. 

You can cook bulgur without chicken, but I love the chicken flavor with bulgur. If you decide to make it without chicken, you can use chicken stock or chicken broth. If you are vegan, you can substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth. 

Bulgur pilaf with vermicelli and Chicken:

In this recipe, I used bulgur that is already mixed with toasted vermicelli. If you wish to add vermicelli to your bulgur, you should toast vermicelli right before adding bulgur in the same pot.

What is Bulgur?

Bulgur is a whole grain that is similar to quinoa. Bulgur is a lot healthier than white rice; is it low glycemic, unlike rice. It contains much more fiber and protein; it also contains minerals and vitamins. 

Types of bulgur:

 There are two types of bulgur; coarse bulgur and fine bulgur. Bulgur usually contains numbers from 1-3 on the packages. Number one is fine bulgur. You can use fine bulgur in tabbouleh salad and bulgur kubba. In this recipe, I used bulgur #2 with toasted vermicelli.  

I cook coarse bulgur using a 1:2 ratio. For 1 cup of bulgur, add 2 cups of hot water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth. 

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Ingredients for bulgur pilaf with vermicelli:

• 4-5 Chicken Legs or quarters
• 3-4 cups hot water
• 1 cup bulgur with vermicelli( if you are using plain bulgur, then toast ¼ cup of vermicelli with 2 tbsp of oil; before adding the chicken and bulgur back to the pot)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 Maggi chicken cube
• Salt to taste

Toasted almonds

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds

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Cook the chicken:

Cook the chicken or beef in advance, use their liquid in place of water. Chicken legs and quarter took about 40 minutes to cook on medium heat. Use a strainer to separate the chicken from its water. 

How to cook bulgur:

1. In a pot, add two tbsp of oil and then add cooked chicken, Maggi cube, rinsed bulgur, black pepper, and salt if needed. Lastly, add the liquid from the chicken.
2. Let the bulgur cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed. 
3. Cover the pot with the lid and turn the heat to low for another 10 minutes.
4. Toast slivered almonds: In a small pan, turn the heat to medium and add 2 tbsp of oil and slivered almonds. Keep string until they are all toasted. Place them on a paper towel so all the oil can be absorbed.

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Questions on Bulgur pilaf with vermicelli:

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Tips for making bulgur recipes with chicken:

• Make sure you use a large pot. Bulgur will double in volume when it cooks. 
• Don’t skip black peppers. Black pepper complements bulgur.
• Traditional Kurdish bulgur pilaf is cooked with salt and black pepper only; however, you can add your twist to it and add whatever spice you prefer; cumin adds excellent flavor to bulgur. 
• Don’t skip adding your favorite broth to bulgur. 

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Other recipes you might like:

• Chicken tikka in oven
• Eggplant kebab
• Fava bean Stew

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