Circassian Chicken

By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: June 4, 2011

Last Updated: January 26th, 20240 Comments on Circassian Chicken

Circassian Chicken (Çerkez Tavuğu) is a delicious Turkish cold salad. A rich, creamy walnut sauce clings to juicy shredded chicken. It’s a hearty, buttery treat. Amazingly decadent spread over crusty sourdough bread.

A plate of Turkish Circassian Chicken with two slices of toasted crusty bread

Once in a while, when I create a dinner table of Turkish delights, I like to serve this ultimate treasure. Circassian chicken is one of our most favourite dishes. A cold chicken salad, like a rustic pate, it's a creamy and luxurious and masterfully flavourful offering.

Nutty, creamy, comforting and rich it's a revelation on every front. You'd never know just how amazing this dish tastes until you try for yourself - It's phenomenal!

A plate of Turkish Circassian Chicken with a fork

What is Circassian Chicken?

Circassian chicken is a traditional dish originating from the North Caucasus region, specifically from the Circassian people. It is made with poached or roasted chicken, which is shredded or finely chopped, and then mixed with a sauce made from ground walnuts, onion, garlic, yoghurt and spices.

Circassian Chicken is a popular dish in Turkey and eaten as mezze, appetiser and main course.

The dish, and variations of it are eaten across the region and go by a variety of names: 'Georgia - Chkmeruli', 'Russia - Shashlik Nishevye', 'Afghanistan - Kuku-yi Soor' and in Turkey it's known as 'Çerkez Tavuğu'.

Why it works?

It's rich and creamy - the texture is the first thing that strikes you, a luxurious, buttery flavour that has mellow hints of spice. It's rich, but not heavy but definitely a filling treat.

It's unassumingly delicious - I love a dish that outwardly looks pretty ordinary, but packs all the flavour in the world that comes as a delightful surprise. I love to cook Circassian Chicken for new dinner guests and see the same reaction every time!

The ingredients for Turkish Circassian Chicken

Stuff You'll Need

Circassian Chicken uses pretty easy to gather ingredients. The only ingredient you might have trouble with is the Turkish Urfa Biber pepper. I'll give you alternative suggestions, so fear not.

  • Chicken - I use chicken breasts as they shred better and give us the best texture. You can buy them raw and poach them yourself or cooked (rotisserie chicken).
  • Walnuts - the creamy and rich nuttiness is thanks to walnuts which are widely eaten in Turkey.
  • Poaching ingredients - if you are poaching your chicken, I add a little extra flavour from bay leaf, black pepper, onion and a little parsley.
  • Paprika, garlic and onion - are fried in butter until soft to give a sweet, buttery and smoky note to the sauce.
  • Bread is added to help create a thicker texture (crusts off)
  • Yoghurt and Lemon - plain yoghurt is mixed with the sauce ingredients to lighten everything and add its creaminess. Lemon adds a fresh zing to top off the flavour.
  • Urfa Biber - is a type of Turkish pepper. It's mellow and mild and is soaked in some melted butter to infuse and create a wonderful orange hue. You can substitute with Aleppo Pepper or Pul Biber or just add a little paprika to the butter instead. This is a garnish that's drizzled over the final salad, so don't sweat it if you can't get hold of anything, just use melted unsalted butter.

Step by Step

Making Circassian Chicken is a simple affair, here's how to prepare it yourself at home.

  1. Step 1 - Poach the chicken breasts in water with bay leaf, peppercorns, onion and parsley for about 10 minutes until firm and cooked through.
  2. Step 2 - In butter, fry onion, garlic and paprika
  3. Step 3 - Blend the bread, walnuts, a little poaching liquid, yoghurt, lemon juice and onion mix until smooth.
  4. Step 4 - Shred the chicken and add parsley, salt and pepper
  5. Step 5 - Mix the chicken with the sauce
  6. Step 6 - Garnish with melted butter with Urfa pepper and a sprinkle of parsley then serve.
poaching chicken breasts in a pan with onion, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns
frying onion, garlic and paprika in a pan
blending Circassian walnut sauce with a stick blender in a plastic jug
Shredded chicken in a bowl with parsley on top
mixing shredded chicken with Circassian sauce
Two slices of toast with Circassian chicken. A platter. of Circassian chicken sits in the background

Pro Tips

  • Other meats - Traditionally, the dish is made using chicken, but the walnut sauce can also be made using lamb or beef too. Just use cooked meat and shred it into the walnut sauce.
  • Let the flavour develop - Circassian chicken benefits greatly from some time in the fridge before you serve. For the best results, give it 24 hours chilling and then remove about 1 hour before you want to serve to come to room temperature. Garnish just before serving. You'll notice the change in flavour!
  • Garnishing Circassian chicken is up to you. A popular garnish is melted butter, tinted by Turkish peppers and a few herbs. You might also consider nuts and seeds, pomegranate kernels or a few drizzles of pomegranate or date molasses to add a little sourness.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

  • Circassian chicken is typically served as part of a larger spread, accompanied by bread, raw vegetables or alongside an array of other salads and dips (see below for my suggestions).
  • I also like to use Circassian chicken as a sandwich filling. It's perfect between bread with a few wafer thin slices of cucumber and tomato. Heaven!

Storage

  • Circassian chicken will stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge. For the best flavour, bring up to room temperature before serving. I tried freezing it one time and it went a little watery upon defrosting, so I wouldn't recommend.
A plate of Turkish Circassian Chicken alongside two slices of crusty bread topped with the chicken

Ready to get cooking?

I can't sing the praises of this relatively unknown Turkish treasure. It's super easy to put together at home and is perfect as a snack or part of a larger meal. Once you've tasted Circassian Chicken you'll wonder where it's been all your life! I hope you enjoy!

A slice of crusty bread topped with Turkish Circassian Chicken

Any Questions? (FAQ)

Have a question about ? Let me know in the comments.

What is the origin of Circassian chicken?

Circassian chicken is a traditional dish originating from the North Caucasus region, specifically from the Circassian people. It is a popular dish in Turkey, where it is often served as an appetizer or main course.

What are the key ingredients of Circassian chicken?

The key ingredients of Circassian chicken include boiled or roasted chicken, ground walnuts, garlic, spices, red pepper, and bread crumbs or starch to thicken the sauce

Can Circassian chicken be made ahead of time?

es, Circassian chicken can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. The flavour is enhanced with some time to rest. Be sure to bring it back to room temperature for the best flavour results before serving.

A slice of crusty bread topped with Turkish Circassian Chicken

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A slice of crusty bread topped with Turkish Circassian Chicken

Circassian Chicken

Rate this recipe

4.75 from 4 votes
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Recipe by Lee
Course Appetizer, Dip, Salad, Snack
Cuisine Turkish
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Servings (adjustable) 4
Calories (per serving) | 500

Video Recipe

Ingredients

To poach the chicken

  • 2 chicken breasts (around 10½oz/300g total)
  • ½ onion (peeled and cut in half again)
  • 1 parsley sprig
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tsp black peppercorns

Walnut Sauce

  • 2 tbsp butter (unsalted)
  • ½ onion (finely diced)
  • 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 bread slices (Thick cut, crusts removed)
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ cup Greek yoghurt (plain)
  • 1 tbsp parsley (fresh, chopped)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Garnish (optional)

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
  • 1 tsp Urfa Biber pepper (or Aleppo Pepper or Pul Biber)
  • 1 tbsp Parsley (finely chopped)

Instructions

To poach the chicken

  • Bring a small pan of water to a simmer. Add the chicken and then the onion, parsley, bay leaf and pepper. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. Remove the chicken to cool. Keep hold of the poaching liquid.

To make the walnut sauce

  • Heat the butter in a small pan over a low/medium heat and gently fry the onion, garlic and paprika for 5 minutes until soft. Set aside.
  • To a deep jug or bowl, add the bread, walnuts, yoghurt, lemon juice, the fried onion mixture and about 1/2 cup of the chicken poaching liquid. Using a stick blender, blend into a creamy puree. Set aside.
  • Using two forks or your hands, shred the chicken into thin strips and add to a large bowl. Mix in the walnut sauce and parsley. Season with salt, pepper. If you're eating later, refrigerate at this point.

To garnish

  • Melt the butter in a small ramekin and then add the Urfa pepper while it's hot. Leave it for 15 minutes to infuse to an orange colour. You can either strain this through a fine sieve or use it with the pepper inside.
  • Make a thin layer of the Circassian chicken on a platter and then drizzle the butter sauce over the top. Sprinkle over some parsley and serve.

Notes

Serving

  • Circassian chicken is typically served as part of a larger spread, accompanied by bread, raw vegetables or alongside an array of other salads and dips (see below for my suggestions).
  • I also like to use Circassian chicken as a sandwich filling. It's perfect between bread with a few wafer thin slices of cucumber and tomato. Heaven!

Storage

  • Circassian chicken will stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge. For the best flavour, bring up to room temperature before serving. I tried freezing it one time and it went a little watery upon defrosting, so I wouldn't recommend.

Substitutions and tips

  • Alternative meat options - While chicken is the traditional meat used in Circassian chicken, lamb or beef can also be used. Simply cook the meat and shred it into the walnut sauce for a different twist on the classic recipe.
  • Allow flavors to develop - To fully enhance the flavor of Circassian chicken, it is recommended to chill it in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving. Remove it from the fridge about an hour before serving to allow it to come to room temperature. Add garnish just before serving to preserve freshness.
  • Customize garnish - Garnishing Circassian chicken is a personal preference, and you can get creative with your choices. Melted butter with Turkish peppers and herbs is a popular option, while nuts, seeds, pomegranate kernels, or a drizzle of pomegranate or date molasses can add sourness or sweetness.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal (25%) | Carbohydrates: 16g (5%) | Protein: 34g (68%) | Fat: 35g (54%) | Saturated Fat: 10g (63%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 104mg (35%) | Sodium: 848mg (37%) | Potassium: 663mg (19%) | Fiber: 4g (17%) | Sugar: 4g (4%) | Vitamin A: 996IU (20%) | Vitamin C: 9mg (11%) | Calcium: 107mg (11%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)
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