This Mahmudiye honey chicken recipe was found in the banquet book of the Turkish sultans’ palace in Edirne. Traditionally, this chicken is served with the simplest crumbly pilava made from long-grain rice.

Ingredients

4-6 large chicken thighs
3 medium onions
10-15 pieces of dried apricots
1 cup seedless green grapes
1/2 cup unroasted almonds
1 tbsp honey
2-3 tbsp butter
Vegetable oil to taste
1 tsp ground cinnamon (or 1 stick)
Salt to taste

Preparation

1.Rub chicken with salt. Peel onion, cut into feathers. Fry chicken on both sides in vegetable oil until golden brown. Add onion. Stir. Fry until the onion is browned.

2.Add butter, honey, dried apricots, grapes, cinnamon and salt. Stir, pour in 1/2 cup of water. Cover with the lid and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes.

3.Scald almonds with boiling water. Peel and add to the chicken when it is cooked. Stir and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Serve very hot.