Tavuk göğsü

Tavuk göğsü is a distinctive Turkish dessert that might astonish you—it’s a milk pudding crafted with shredded chicken breast! This unusual yet delightful dish boasts historical roots, once served to the Ottoman sultans in the opulent Topkapı Palace. Today, it is celebrated as a signature dish of Turkey.

Traditionally, Tavuk göğsü is prepared using the white meat from a freshly slaughtered capon. The chicken is boiled until tender and then shredded into fine fibers or, in some contemporary recipes, ground into a powder. This chicken is then blended with milk, sugar, cracked rice, and thickeners. Flavorings such as cinnamon are often added to enhance the taste. The result is a thick, creamy pudding typically molded into a specific shape before serving.

Interestingly, Tavuk göğsü bears similarities to a medieval European dish called "blancmange." Blancmange, meaning "white dish" was a favorite among the upper class and even appears in literary works like "The Canterbury Tales." Although blancmange has evolved into various forms across modern Europe and Latin America, it still shares a kinship with Tavuk göğsü in its core concept.