Bulgur Bake with Chicken and Vegetables Recipe
This bake is a Polish answer to Middle Eastern bulgur dishes – but in an oven version, the way we like it. Chicken, colorful vegetables, and bulgur make a complete meal in one dish that’s easy to take to work the next day. The flavor is a bit like leczo, only instead of bread you have bulgur baked with cheese.
This dish combines the familiar Polish form of an oven bake with the more Middle Eastern character of bulgur and paprika-based seasonings. It tastes like a hearty leczo, but instead of a slice of bread you get a complete one-dish meal with meat, vegetables, and grains. Thanks to baking under cheese, the whole thing gains a pleasantly comforting, homely character that’s hard to achieve with just a frying pan.
Chef's tips
Make sure the bulgur is cooked al dente – it will soften a bit more in the oven, so don’t cook it too long or it will turn mushy. Brown the chicken well in the pan until golden edges appear – this adds flavor to the whole bake, especially if you plan to reheat it the next day. If the tomato sauce seems too thin, reduce it for 2–3 minutes longer; otherwise, excess liquid may collect at the bottom of the dish.
How to serve
Serve with a simple cucumber-and-yogurt salad or classic cabbage slaw to add freshness to this warming bake. To drink, a slightly dry red wine works well, or simply a glass of homemade compote if you’re serving it as a family meal. It’s a very practical dish for days when you know you’ll be home late from work – you can prepare it in advance and then just pop it in the oven while you unpack the groceries.
Ingredients
- bulgur wheat dry - 200 g
- chicken breast skinless - 350 g
- zucchini medium - 1 piece
- bell pepper red - 1 piece
- carrot medium - 1 piece
- onion medium - 1 piece
- canned tomatoes chopped - 400 g
- yellow cheese grated - 120 g
- oil for frying - 2 tablespoons
- sweet paprika ground - 1 teaspoon
- hot paprika ground, optional - 0.5 teaspoons
- thyme dried herb - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cook the bulgur in salted boiling water according to the package instructions (usually about 10–12 minutes), until soft but fluffy. Drain if needed and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a baking dish with oil.
- Cut the chicken breast into small cubes, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and half of the sweet paprika.
- Peel the onion and dice it. Peel the carrot and slice it into thin half-moons. Wash the zucchini and pepper, remove the seeds from the pepper, and cut the vegetables into cubes.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the chicken and fry for 6–8 minutes, until the meat is white inside and lightly browned.
- Add the carrot, pepper, and zucchini. Fry for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables soften slightly but are still firm.
- Add the canned tomatoes, the remaining sweet paprika, hot paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked bulgur with the sauce from the pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, smooth the top, and sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese melts and is lightly browned. Before serving, let the bake rest for 5–10 minutes so it doesn’t fall apart when sliced.
Storage
Store the bake, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave; if reheating in the oven, cover loosely with foil so the top doesn’t dry out too much.
