Çerkez Tavuğu (Çerkez Tavuğu) — Turkish Circassian Chicken in Garlic-Walnut Sauce
A beloved Turkish meze with Circassian roots, Çerkez Tavuğu pairs poached, shredded chicken with a creamy walnut-garlic sauce and spiced butter. It’s traditionally served cool, making it ideal for gatherings and holiday tables.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 6 · Total: 60 min · Difficulty: medium
Ingredients (quick list)
- 900 g bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 6 thighs)
- 1500 ml water
- 150 g onion (1 medium, halved)
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 250 g walnuts (raw walnut halves or pieces)
- 18 g garlic (about 5 cloves, finely grated)
- 60 g stale white bread, crusts removed (torn into pieces)
- 300 ml reserved warm chicken broth (from poaching)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (15 ml)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
+ 4 more in the full ingredients section below.
Steps (summary)
- Place the chicken thighs in a pot with the water, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then…
- Transfer the chicken to a tray to cool until comfortable to handle. Strain the broth and measure out 300 ml, keeping it warm so…
- Shred the chicken finely with your fingers, discarding bones and any tough bits. Cover and set aside so the meat does not dry o…
- In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until very finely ground, stopping before they turn into walnut butter. Add the bread pi…
- Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, Aleppo pepper, 1 tsp salt, and lemon juice to the processor. With the motor running, stream in…
- Fold the shredded chicken into the walnut sauce in a wide bowl, mixing until every strand is coated. Spread the mixture onto a…
+ 1 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
Çerkez Tavuğu reflects Circassian culinary influence in Turkey, especially in meze culture where chilled, shareable dishes shine. Its walnut-garlic sauce and paprika butter are iconic markers of hospitality on crowded tables.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Use warm (not boiling) broth when blending so the sauce emulsifies smoothly and stays creamy.
- Pulse walnuts in short bursts; over-processing releases oil and can make the sauce heavy and greasy.
- For the best texture, shred the chicken very finely so it integrates into the walnut sauce like a spreadable meze.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Boiling the chicken hard, making the meat tough and the broth cloudy.
✅ Fix: Keep the liquid at a gentle simmer; small bubbles should barely break the surface.
❌ Turning walnuts into paste, which makes the sauce oily.
✅ Fix: Pulse in short bursts and stop once the walnuts are finely ground but still fluffy.
❌ Adding cold broth to the processor, leading to a grainy sauce.
✅ Fix: Use warm broth and stream it in gradually to help the mixture emulsify.
🧊 How to Store
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve cold or let stand 15 minutes at room temperature; avoid microwaving, as it can split the walnut emulsion and dull the garlic-walnut flavor.
📅 Make Ahead
Poach and shred the chicken up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate with 60 ml broth to keep it moist. Blend the walnut sauce and assemble the dish up to 24 hours ahead; add the spiced butter just before serving for the best aroma.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Pide bread
- lavash
- pickles (turşu)
- fresh parsley
- sliced tomatoes
- lemon wedges.
Regional Variations
- Some Turkish versions include 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon for a subtly warm, old-style aroma.
- In some homes the bread is omitted and the sauce is thickened only with extra walnuts for a richer, denser meze.
- A few variations finish with 1 tsp dried mint in the butter for a brighter, herbal top note.
Ingredients
- 900 gbone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 6 thighs)
- 1500 mlwater
- 150 gonion (1 medium, halved)
- 1 leafbay leaf
- 1 tspblack peppercorns
- 2 tspfine salt
- 250 gwalnuts (raw walnut halves or pieces)
- 18 ggarlic (about 5 cloves, finely grated)
- 60 gstale white bread, crusts removed (torn into pieces)
- 300 mlreserved warm chicken broth (from poaching)
- 1 tbsplemon juice (15 ml)
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspsweet paprika
- 0.5 tspAleppo pepper (or mild chili flakes)
- 30 gunsalted butter
- 12walnut halves (optional but traditional-looking)
🔄 Substitutions
- bone-in chicken thighs→
- stale white bread→
- Aleppo pepper→
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken thighs in a pot with the water, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and cook until the chicken is very tender and pulls easily from the bone, about 25–30 minutes.
- 2
Transfer the chicken to a tray to cool until comfortable to handle. Strain the broth and measure out 300 ml, keeping it warm so it blends smoothly into the walnut sauce.
- 3
Shred the chicken finely with your fingers, discarding bones and any tough bits. Cover and set aside so the meat does not dry out while you prepare the sauce.
- 4
In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until very finely ground, stopping before they turn into walnut butter. Add the bread pieces and pulse again until the mixture looks like damp sand.
- 5
Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, Aleppo pepper, 1 tsp salt, and lemon juice to the processor. With the motor running, stream in the warm broth gradually and blend until you get a thick, creamy, spoonable sauce; this should take 30–60 seconds.
- 6
Fold the shredded chicken into the walnut sauce in a wide bowl, mixing until every strand is coated. Spread the mixture onto a shallow serving plate, smoothing the top and creating slight swirls to catch the butter.
- 7
Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat, then stir in the paprika and Aleppo pepper for 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Pour the spiced butter over the chicken, then garnish with walnut halves and chill for at least 60 minutes so the flavors marry and the texture sets.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Çerkez Tavuğu reflects Circassian culinary influence in Turkey, especially in meze culture where chilled, shareable dishes shine. Its walnut-garlic sauce and paprika butter are iconic markers of hospitality on crowded tables.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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