Ana Sortun's Gaziantep Chicken With Tahini Sauce

Ana Sortun is the award-winning executive chef and owner of Oleana Restaurant and Sofra Bakery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Thanks to her time spent abroad, her cuisine is a mixture of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients and flavors—it's why Mimi Sheraton called Sortun "one of the best creative fusion practitioners" in the country.

We got a chance to be in the kitchen with Sortun recently, and we learned a thing or two about her food. Below is her beloved recipe for Gaziantep chicken, and some words from her about the inspiration behind this vibrant, flavorful dish.

"In 1997, I was working at Harvard Square’s Casablanca restaurant, cooking Mediterranean food mostly inspired by my travels to Italy, Spain, and the south of France. One evening I met Ayfer Unsal, who was visiting Cambridge and dining with my boss. She invited me to visit Turkey and to study the cuisine from her hometown, Gaziantep. This trip changed my work forever and introduced me to a new style of Mediterranean cooking. It was this visit that marked a turning point in my career and was my introduction to cooking with spice.

"The following recipe is inspired by some notes that I took while following Ayfer around in the kitchen one day. The tahini, pistachio, and dried fruit are representative of the complex flavors and textures that are used in Turkish cooking. The baharat spice blend is my go-to spice blend that I use when preparing many things, like lentil soup, lamb, squash, onions, or roasted chicken. It’s the perfect combination of warm, earthy, and sweet spices."

Gaziantep Chicken

Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
Special equipment: Instant-read thermometer, rimmed baking sheet, fine-mesh strainer, blender

Ingredients

For the Baharat Spice Mixture (makes 1/2 cup):
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons dried mint, crushed through a fine-mesh strainer
2 tablespoons ground black pepper

For the Chicken:
3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 medium white onion, grated
2 1/2 teaspoons baharat spice mix
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon (5ml) water
4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts
Kosher salt, to taste.
2 tablespoons hulled pistachios
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
4 tablespoons dried currants or dried sour cherries
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoons of kosher salt, plus more to taste
Bulgur pilaf, to serve

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients of spice mixture in a sealable container and shake.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and set rack to the middle position. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil with grated onion, baharat mixture, tomato paste, and water. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, season both sides with kosher salt, and pour over olive oil and spice mixture over chicken breasts. Flip chicken to coat on both sides and let stand for 20 minutes.

3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until skin is browned and meat registers 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part.

4. Meanwhile, finely chop pistachios and pine nuts. In a small skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil until shimmering. Fry chopped nuts gently until light brown and just barely toasted, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Remove from heat and stir in currants or dried cherries.

5. In a blender, mix yogurt, tahini, and remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil, and salt to form a smooth tahini sauce. Season with more salt to taste.

6. Plate cooked chicken and top with tahini sauce and nut/dried fruit mixture. Serve with bulgur pilaf on the side.

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