Food - Drink
The Sweet Turkish Dessert Made With Chicken Breast
By CLARICE KNELLY
History of Tavuk Göğsü
Tavuk göğsü, literally meaning "chicken breast," is a creamy and sweet pudding made from shredded chicken breast. The dessert originated in the Middle Ages when a Sultan asked for a sweet, late-night snack, forcing the cooks to improvise with what they had on hand, and the dessert quickly became popular.
Ingredients
Of course, the main ingredient of tavuk göğsü is chicken breast, which is shredded so finely that it’s almost threadlike and doesn’t have a meaty flavor. Milk is added to give the dish its creamy consistency while flour and cornstarch make it firm yet jiggly, and sugar, vanilla, and a cinnamon garnish give the dish its sweet flavor.
How to Make It
Making tavuk göğsü can be quite long since you have to boil the chicken breast, shred it, and soak it in water about six times before chilling overnight and rinsing again the next morning. Then all the ingredients are boiled together, and when it’s too thick to stir, it’s poured into a dish and refrigerated for several hours.
How Does It Taste
Because the chicken is soaked so many times, it loses its meaty scent and essentially becomes flavorless, letting the flavors of the milk, sugar, and vanilla shine through to make this a sweet yet protein-packed dessert. The dish is firm enough to hold its form, so it’s usually served in a cylindrical shape with a sprinkle of cinnamon.