Chicken Chygyrtma (Toyuq Çığırtması) — Azerbaijani Chicken with Eggs and Tomatoes
Chygyrtma is an Azerbaijani family-style chicken dish gently cooked with onions, tomatoes, saffron, and eggs. It sits between a skillet braise and a soft-set egg dish, making it hearty enough for supper yet simple enough for weekday cooking.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 4 · Total: 65 min · Difficulty: medium
Ingredients (quick list)
- 6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 1 kg total)
- 1.5 tsp fine sea salt
- 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 12 strand saffron
- 2 tbsp hot water (for blooming saffron)
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 yellow onions (about 300 g total, thinly sliced)
- 4 ripe tomatoes (about 500 g total, peeled and finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 eggs
+ 2 more in the full ingredients section below.
Steps (summary)
- Crush the saffron strands lightly between your fingers or in a small mortar, then stir them into the 2 tbsp hot water. Let the…
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season them evenly with the salt, black pepper, and turmeric. Heat the butter…
- Transfer the browned chicken to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the sliced onions and cook over medium heat for 10 to…
- Stir the tomato paste into the onions and cook for 1 minute to remove its raw edge. Add the chopped tomatoes and bloomed saffro…
- Nestle the chicken thighs back into the tomato-onion sauce with any juices from the plate. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to me…
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them just until the yolks and whites are combined. Pour the eggs evenly around and partly o…
+ 1 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
Chygyrtma reflects the Azerbaijani habit of turning modest ingredients into a generous shared pan. Chicken, onions, tomatoes, herbs, and eggs create a comforting home dish often served with bread or rice at the family table.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Use a wide pan so the eggs set in a thin, tender layer rather than steaming into a thick omelet.
- Brown the chicken before simmering; this gives the sauce a deeper flavor and prevents the dish from tasting flat.
- Keep the final heat low after adding the eggs, because high heat makes the egg layer tough and watery.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Adding the eggs while the sauce is boiling hard.
✅ Fix: Lower the heat before pouring in the eggs and keep the pan covered so they set gently.
❌ Using watery tomatoes without reducing the sauce.
✅ Fix: Simmer the tomatoes until they thicken slightly before returning the chicken to the pan.
❌ Skipping the onion browning stage.
✅ Fix: Cook the onions until soft and golden at the edges, because they are the main sweet base of the dish.
🧊 How to Store
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with 2 tbsp water, or microwave at 50 percent power, because the egg layer can toughen if overheated.
📅 Make Ahead
Slice the onions, peel and chop the tomatoes, and bloom the saffron up to 8 hours ahead. Cook the egg layer only just before serving for the best tender texture.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Plain rice
- lavash bread
- cucumber-tomato salad
- pickled vegetables
- fresh herbs.
Regional Variations
- Some Azerbaijani cooks prepare chygyrtma with only onions, eggs, and chicken, leaving out tomatoes for a paler, more onion-forward version.
- In summer, fresh herbs may be added generously at the table rather than cooked into the dish.
- A richer home version uses a whole chicken cut into pieces instead of only thighs.
Ingredients
- 6bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 1 kg total)
- 1.5 tspfine sea salt
- 0.5 tspground black pepper
- 1 tspground turmeric
- 12 strandsaffron
- 2 tbsphot water (for blooming saffron)
- 30 gunsalted butter
- 2 tbspsunflower oil
- 2yellow onions (about 300 g total, thinly sliced)
- 4ripe tomatoes (about 500 g total, peeled and finely chopped)
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- 4eggs
- 8 sprigfresh cilantro (finely chopped)
- 6 sprigfresh dill (finely chopped)
🔄 Substitutions
- bone-in skinless chicken thighs→ bone-in chicken drumsticks
- sunflower oil→ neutral vegetable oil
- fresh tomatoes→ 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
Instructions
- 1
Crush the saffron strands lightly between your fingers or in a small mortar, then stir them into the 2 tbsp hot water. Let the saffron bloom for 10 minutes while you prepare the chicken and vegetables, so its color and aroma fully infuse the liquid.
- 2
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season them evenly with the salt, black pepper, and turmeric. Heat the butter and sunflower oil in a wide heavy skillet or shallow braising pan over medium-high heat, then brown the chicken for 4 minutes per side until lightly golden.
- 3
Transfer the browned chicken to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the sliced onions and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft, golden at the edges, and reduced in volume.
- 4
Stir the tomato paste into the onions and cook for 1 minute to remove its raw edge. Add the chopped tomatoes and bloomed saffron liquid, then simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until the tomatoes collapse into a loose sauce.
- 5
Nestle the chicken thighs back into the tomato-onion sauce with any juices from the plate. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 22 to 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- 6
Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them just until the yolks and whites are combined. Pour the eggs evenly around and partly over the chicken, cover the pan again, and cook over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the eggs are softly set but not rubbery.
- 7
Sprinkle the chopped cilantro and dill over the finished chygyrtma and let it rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Serve directly from the pan, spooning the tomato-onion sauce and soft egg around each piece of chicken.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Chygyrtma reflects the Azerbaijani habit of turning modest ingredients into a generous shared pan. Chicken, onions, tomatoes, herbs, and eggs create a comforting home dish often served with bread or rice at the family table.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
📚 Sources & Cultural References
- Feride Buyuran — Pomegranates and Saffron: A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan — (2015)
Sources cited by the Zaffaron editorial team during recipe research. Cultural and culinary references supporting authenticity claims.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
If you enjoyed this recipe, here are a few related Zaffaron recipes to try next.
Does your family make this differently?
Every family has their own version. Maybe your grandmother adds a secret ingredient, or your aunt has a completely different technique. Preserve your family's version — with their name on it, forever.
You Might Also Like
Buglama (بوقلاما) — Azerbaijani steamed fish with tomatoes and herbs
Azerbaijani · Main Courses · 50 min
Azerbaijani Milk-Rice Porridge (Südlü Sıyıq) — Creamy Breakfast Rice with Saffron
Azerbaijani · Rice Dishes · 50 min
Azerbaijani Milk Rice Porridge (Südlü Sıyıq) — Creamy Breakfast Bowl
Azerbaijani · Rice Dishes · 40 min
Pljeskavica (Пљескавица) — Serbian Grilled Meat Patty
Serbian · Main Courses · 47 min
Rakfisk (Rakfisk) — Norwegian Fermented Trout with Lefse and Potatoes
Norwegian · Main Courses · 45 min
Satsivi (საცივი) — Georgian Chicken in Walnut Sauce
Georgian · Main Courses · 105 min
Turkish Cağ Kebab (Cağ Kebabı) — Erzurum Slow-Roasted Charcoal Lamb Skewer
Turkish · Kebabs · 160 min
Khoresh Tareh Farangi (خورش تره فرنگی) — Persian Leek and Lamb Stew
Persian · Stews · 130 min
Reviews
Cooked this recipe?
Tap the stars to rate it — that's all it takes. A few words are welcome but optional.
No ratings yet. Cooked this one? Be the first to rate it — it takes one tap.