Azerbaijani Walnut-Stuffed Chicken (Toyuq Ləvəngi)
Toyuq Ləvəngi Say it: toy-OOG leh-VENG-gee
Toyuq Ləvəngi reaches the table as a whole roast with deeply browned skin, and the walnut filling inside bakes into a dense, tart-sweet paste. It comes from Azerbaijan’s Lənkəran region and turns up at weddings, Novruz tables and family celebrations, but the basic method fits a weekend roast.
Azerbaijani Walnut-Stuffed Chicken (Toyuq Ləvəngi)
Toyuq Ləvəngi
Pronounced toy-OOG leh-VENG-gee
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Chicken
Walnut filling
Method
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped but still dry, not oily. Add the onion, sour plum paste, salt, pepper and coriander, if using, and process to a thick paste. If the mixture looks crumbly, blend in cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together.
Spoon the filling into the body and neck cavities without pressing it down. Draw the skin over the openings and pin with small skewers or tie with twine. Fold the wings behind the chicken and bind the legs together.
Brush melted butter over the entire bird and scatter on a little salt.
Put the chicken breast side up on a rack inside a roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C), then turn the oven down to 325°F (160°C). Roast for another 45–60 minutes, spooning pan juices over occasionally, until the skin is deep golden and the thigh registers 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Leave the chicken to rest for 15 minutes. Carve it, pour over the pan juices and serve warm.
Regional variant: Fish Lavangi (Balıq Ləvəngi)
Use one whole white fish, such as Caspian kutum, carp or trout, weighing 2–2.5 lb (900 g–1.1 kg), cleaned and scaled. Pack the same walnut paste into the cavity, close it with skewers, brush the fish with oil or melted butter and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30–40 minutes, until the thickest flesh flakes easily.
Cook's notes
- Keep an eye on the processor: stop while the walnuts are still a bit coarse, since overgrinding makes the filling greasy.
- Soak hard sour plum paste in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain it before mixing.
- For a juicier breast, lift the skin and spread a little filling directly onto the meat before roasting.
Serve with
Serve with saffron rice (plov), fresh herbs, sliced red onion and pomegranate seeds; black tea or pomegranate juice makes a good drink alongside.
Make ahead and storage
The walnut filling can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated. A stuffed raw chicken can be assembled a few hours ahead and kept chilled. Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days and should be reheated gently in the oven.
