Turkish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Circassian Chicken

Circassian chicken: shredded chicken in a velvety walnut-bread sauce under red paprika oil.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600 g chicken pieces
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 2 bay leaves
• 200 g walnuts
• 3 slices stale white bread
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Put the chicken pieces in a pot with the halved onion, the peeled carrot, the bay leaves and the salt, cover with 1.5 l cold water and bring to a boil; skim off the foam.
2. Simmer over gentle heat for 40–45 min. until the meat easily comes off the bone, then let cool lukewarm in the broth and strain the stock through a sieve.
3. Remove the crusts from the bread slices and soak in 150 ml of the lukewarm stock until fully soaked, then squeeze out lightly.
4. Process the walnuts, soaked bread and peeled garlic in a blender with another 200 ml of stock into a smooth, thick sauce — it should fall from the spoon like thick yogurt.
5. Remove the chicken meat from skin and bones, shred into strips and mix in two-thirds of the sauce; season with salt.
6. Arrange on a platter, spread the remaining sauce over it, briefly warm the olive oil with the paprika powder and drizzle the red oil in a lattice pattern over the top before serving.