Tavuklu yoğurt çorbası – delicate yogurt soup with chicken Recipe
Tavuklu yoğurt çorbası is a lightly sour, creamy yogurt-based soup with pieces of chicken and rice. In Turkey it’s often served when someone has a cold or needs something gentle on the stomach – a bit like chicken broth, just in a white, yogurt version. The flavor is similar to Greek avgolemono, but instead of eggs, yogurt plays the main role.
This Turkish yogurt soup combines the comfort of chicken soup with the creaminess and gentle tang of yogurt. Tempering the yogurt with hot stock keeps it silky and smooth, while the aromatic mint butter on top adds a distinctive Middle Eastern touch.
Chef's tips
Use thick, good-quality yogurt so the soup turns out creamy and doesn’t separate. Keep the heat very low after adding the yogurt mixture and stir often – this is key to a smooth texture. If you’re unsure, you can add a little more flour to stabilize the yogurt further.
How to serve
Serve in warm bowls, topped generously with mint butter. Pair with crusty bread, pita, or simple flatbread. A small side salad of cucumbers and tomatoes with lemon and olive oil works nicely to complete the meal.
Ingredients
- chicken breast whole - 250 g
- rice short-grain or risotto rice - 60 g
- plain yogurt thick, preferably Greek-style - 400 g
- egg yolk - 1 piece
- wheat flour for stabilizing the yogurt - 1 tablespoon
- chicken stock can be made from a stock cube - 900 ml
- butter - 30 g
- dried mint for sprinkling - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Bring the stock to a boil in a medium pot. Add the chicken breast, reduce the heat to low and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the meat is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool slightly. Add the rinsed rice to the stock and cook over low heat for 12–15 minutes, until tender.
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt, egg yolk and flour until you get a smooth, lump-free mixture.
- Slowly pour about 2 ladles of hot stock with rice into the bowl with the yogurt, whisking vigorously the whole time. This tempers the yogurt so it won’t curdle.
- Pour the contents of the bowl back into the pot with the remaining stock and rice, stirring constantly. Cook over very low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, but do not let it come to a full boil – the soup should only gently “shimmer.”
- Cut or shred the cooked chicken into small pieces and add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When it starts to foam lightly, remove from the heat and add the dried mint, stirring quickly – the butter will take on a light color and release an intense aroma.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls and drizzle each portion with a teaspoon of the mint butter.
Storage
Zupa jogurtowa nie lubi mrożenia – po rozmrożeniu może się zwarzyć. Przechowuj w lodówce i podgrzewaj bardzo delikatnie na małym ogniu, często mieszając i nie dopuszczając do zagotowania.
