Tavuk Göğsü

5 from 1 vote

Tavuk Göğsü is a classic Turkish milk pudding made with finely shredded chicken breast. The chicken adds no taste, only a soft, chewy texture. Serve it cold with a generous dusting of cinnamon.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Soaking and Chilling Time8

Total Time9 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Turkish

Diet: Halal, Low Fat, Vegetarian

Servings: portions

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

½ boneless skinless chicken breast
4 ¼ cup whole milk (full-fat) (1 litre)
⅔ cup rice flour (80 grams)
⅓ cup corn or wheat starch (40 grams)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoon butter
2 pieces mastic gum
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon powder (for dusting)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken Breast

Place the chicken breast in a pot and cover it with cold water.
Bring the water to a boil on medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and let the chicken simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until it's fully cooked.
Once cooked, place the chicken breast into a container and fill it with enough water to cover it.
Seal the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate. For the best results, leave it overnight, but a 4-5 hour waiting period is also sufficient.
After soaking, shred the chicken breast by hand and change the water. Repeat this process about 6-7 times, changing the water each time and shredding again. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is the shredding of the chicken, but doing this step correctly enhances its flavor.
After the chicken pieces have completely separated into fibers, squeeze out the water and set them aside.

Prepare the Custard

Place 1 tablespoon of sugar and the mastic in a mortar and pestle, and grind them thoroughly. Then, set the mixture aside.
Pour ¾ of the milk and sugar into a saucepan.
Heat it over medium heat until it comes to a gentle boil.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining milk with rice flour and starch to create a slurry.
Add the slurry into boiling milk and stir continuously to avoid it clumping until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
Stir in the shredded chicken and let it simmer for another 10 minutes, until thickened, smooth, and slightly stretchy.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the mastic and/or vanilla paste along with the butter, and blitz the mixture with a hand blender for a few minutes.
Whisk the mixture with a balloon whisk for a few minutes and then pour it into a baking dish or individual bowls.
Allow the pudding to cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate it for a few hours or until it's completely set. This usually takes about 4 hours or overnight.

Portion and Serve

Once set, remove the pudding from the refrigerator.
Dust the top generously with cinnamon powder for added flavor and a beautiful presentation.
Sprinkle on some ground pistachio or any other nuts you prefer.
Cut it into squares or diamond shapes and serve your homemade Tavuk Göğsü chilled.

Notes

Give the chicken enough soaking time. Overnight is ideal, but 4 to 5 hours will do. Change the water several times while soaking and shredding, until the chicken loses its smell.
Take your time shredding. The finer the fibers, the silkier the pudding.
Squeeze the shredded chicken well before adding it to the custard, so it doesn't water down the pudding.
Grind the mastic with a spoonful of sugar so it doesn't clump. If you can't find mastic, use extra vanilla instead.
Use corn starch instead of wheat starch to keep the pudding gluten-free.
Whole milk gives the creamiest result, but 2% or skim milk also works.
Adjust the sugar to your taste, and blitz the cooked pudding for a few extra minutes for a smoother texture.
Storage: keep covered in the fridge for 2 to 3 days and serve cold. I don't recommend freezing, as the texture changes once thawed.
Make ahead: the pudding needs at least 4 hours in the fridge to set, so it is best made the day before.
For a caramelized version, brown the bottom of the same pudding and flip the slices. That is Kazandibi. You can also leave out the chicken entirely for the version called yalancı tavuk göğsü.

Nutrition