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Circassian chicken, or çerkez tavuğu in Turkish, is a popular meze dish and an elevated form of chicken salad that ditches the classic mayonnaise in favor of a rich and creamy, bread-thickened garlic and walnut sauce.
The chicken is poached in a simple broth seasoned with garlic, onion and parsley. The same broth then is used to moisten the stale bread that gives the dressing its body. The bread also is blended with the poached garlic and chopped walnuts, and some of the sauce is tossed with shredded chicken and lemon juice.
The chicken is plated over a layer of the remaining sauce and sprinkled with more chopped parsley and walnuts. To stale the bread for making the sauce, simply leave the slices out for a few hours; they should feel dryish on the surface but not brittle.
The dish, from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” is an example of Circassian palace cuisine. Driven out of their homeland in the 1800s, many Circassians relocated to what was then the Ottoman Empire; some were installed at the palace, and they brought their distinctive cooking techniques with them.
For a finishing touch, sizzle Aleppo pepper in butter until fragrant and the fat takes on a reddish hue. Drizzle the mixture over the chicken and serve the salad with warm pita bread, sliced radishes and pickles on the side.
CIRCASSIAN CHICKEN
Start to finish: 45 minutes Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs
1 medium yellow onion, root end intact, peeled and quartered lengthwise
5 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
About 10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, plus ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 slices stale white sandwich bread (see headnote), crusts removed (about 4 ounces)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper or 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
Directions
In a large pot, combine the chicken, onion, garlic, parsley sprigs, 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and 7 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then cover, reduce to low and cook, occasionally turning the chicken, until the thickest part of the largest breast (if using) reaches 160°F, 20 to 25 minutes, or the thickest part of the largest thigh (if using) reaches 175°F, 25 to 30 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a large plate; set aside until cool enough to handle.
While the chicken cools, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Transfer the garlic cloves to a blender jar; discard the remaining solids. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, lower each slice of bread into the broth just until fully moistened; using your hands, gently squeeze to remove excess liquid and add the bread to the blender. Measure 3 tablespoons walnuts and set aside for garnish; add the remainder to the blender. Start the blender, then remove the center cap on the blender lid. With the blender running on high, stream in about ¼ cup broth and puree until the mixture is smooth and has the consistency of pourable yogurt; leave the sauce in the blender and set aside.
Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Add the meat to a large bowl. Measure 1 cup of the sauce and add to the chicken along with the lemon juice; toss. If the mixture is too thick, stir in additional broth a few teaspoons at a time to thin. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
Onto a serving platter, spoon the remaining sauce and spread in an even layer. Spoon the chicken mixture on top and sprinkle with the chopped parsley and reserved walnuts.
In an 8-inch skillet over medium, heat the oil and butter until the butter melts. Add the Aleppo pepper and cook, swirling the pan, until the mixture is fragrant and the fat takes on a reddish hue, about 1 minute. Drizzle the mixture over the chicken and serve.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap
