Circassian Chicken Recipe – Turkish Çerkez Tavuğu
Tender shredded chicken mixed with creamy walnut garlic sauce and served cold with red pepper oil. A classic Turkish meze recipe.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 700 g boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 small onion halved
- 1 bay leaf optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.2 liters water
Walnut Sauce
- 180 g walnuts
- 3 slices stale white bread crusts removed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 240 –300 ml warm chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika or mild red pepper flakes optional
Red Pepper Oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper paprika or red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts optional
- Fresh parsley optiona
Instructions
- Place chicken, onion, bay leaf, salt and water in a saucepan. Simmer gently for 25 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken and strain the broth. Reserve the broth for the sauce.
- Shred the chicken finely with two forks or your fingers.
- Moisten stale bread with warm chicken broth and let it soften.
- Blend walnuts, softened bread, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 cup of broth until creamy.
- Add more broth gradually if the sauce is too thick.
- Mix the shredded chicken with the walnut sauce until evenly coated.
- Transfer to a serving plate, smooth the top and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Warm oil in a small pan and briefly stir in red pepper flakes or paprika.
- Drizzle the pepper oil over the chilled chicken and garnish with walnuts and parsley.
Notes
- Add broth slowly; the sauce should be creamy, not runny.
- Use fresh walnuts for the best flavor.
- Serve cold or cool, not hot.
- Freezing is not recommended.
- Add the red pepper oil shortly before serving.