Meze Atlas, Other cold plates

Çerkez Tavuğu

Name: Çerkez Tavuğu
Prep time: 75 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 600 g chicken breasts; 1 onion, halved; 1 carrot; 1 bay leaf; 1½ tsp salt; 200 g walnuts; 3 slices stale white bread, crusts removed; 2 cloves garlic; 1 tsp tatlı toz biber (sweet paprika); 2 tbsp olive oil

/cher·KEZ ta·voo·OO/

Shredded poached chicken in walnut and garlic sauce with paprika oil

6serves

1 hr 15 minactive time

Goes with

Rakı

Walnut richness and garlic are lifted by the dry, aromatic finish of rakı.

Also good with white wine.

Our chef's recipe, coming soon. This is the classic version, as it is made on most meyhane tables.

Ingredients

600 gchicken breasts
1onion, halved
1carrot
1bay leaf
1½ tspsalt
200 gwalnuts
3 slicesstale white bread, crusts removed
2 clovesgarlic
1 tsptatlı toz biber (sweet paprika)
2 tbspolive oil

Method

Cover the chicken, onion, carrot and bay leaf with 1 litre water, add 1 tsp salt and simmer for 25 minutes until cooked through. Cool in the stock.
Shred the chicken finely by hand. Strain and keep the stock.
Soak the bread in 250 ml of the warm stock. Grind the walnuts with the garlic, then blend in the soaked bread and ½ tsp salt to a thick, smooth sauce, adding more stock if needed.
Mix half the sauce with the chicken and spread it on a plate. Cover with the remaining sauce.
Warm the oil with the paprika for 30 seconds without letting it burn, then drizzle over the top. Serve at room temperature.