Turkish Chicken Tarhana Soup

Name: Turkish Chicken Tarhana Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1¼ lb (570 g) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat; 6 cups (1420 ml) water, cold; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, peeled and left whole, then 1/2 of it finely diced; 1 whole bay leaf; 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 1 tbsp (16 g) Turkish sweet red pepper paste (biber salçası) (optional); ¾ cup (90 g) powdered tarhana; 1 cup (240 ml) cold water, for the tarhana paste; fine sea salt, to taste, about 1/2 to 1 tsp; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter; 1 tsp (3 g) sweet paprika; 1 tbsp (2 g) dried mint, crumbled between your fingers; 1 small lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tangy, savory Turkish soup made from fermented tarhana, tender poached chicken, and a sizzling paprika-mint butter finish. Hearty, comforting, and ready in about an hour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: About 8 cups (4 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the soup
1¼ lb (570 g) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
6 cups (1420 ml) water, cold
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, peeled and left whole, then 1/2 of it finely diced
1 whole bay leaf
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1 tbsp (16 g) Turkish sweet red pepper paste (biber salçası) (optional)
¾ cup (90 g) powdered tarhana
1 cup (240 ml) cold water, for the tarhana paste
fine sea salt, to taste, about 1/2 to 1 tsp
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
For the spiced butter
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
1 tsp (3 g) sweet paprika
1 tbsp (2 g) dried mint, crumbled between your fingers
To serve
1 small lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

Equipment (6)

4-quart (3.8 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
Medium bowl for the tarhana paste
Whisk
Small skillet or saucepan (6-inch / 15 cm) for the spiced butter
Tongs and two forks
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Tarhana is a dried fermented grain-and-yogurt mix sold in Turkish markets and online as powder or coarse crumbs. Use the powdery kind for this recipe.
Have everything measured before you start: the tarhana paste needs constant whisking once it goes into the pot.
Tarhana brands vary in saltiness. Use unsalted or low-sodium stock and salt only at the end.
Cut the chicken into pieces as directed so it cooks evenly and shreds easily.

1
Poach the chicken
- Put the chicken thighs, 6 cups (1420 ml) cold water, the half of the onion left whole (cut the onion in half first; reserve the other half for dicing), and the bay leaf in the pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer gently, partly covered, for 25 minutes.
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Ready when: Chicken reaches 175°F (80°C) and the meat pulls easily from the bone; skim off any gray foam that rises in the first 5 minutes.
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle; hard boiling makes the chicken stringy and the stock cloudy.
2
Make the tarhana paste
- While the chicken cooks, whisk the tarhana with 1 cup (240 ml) cold water in a medium bowl until completely smooth with no dry pockets.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes so the grains hydrate and soften.
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Ready when: The mixture looks like a thick, smooth pancake batter.
Tip: Always mix tarhana with cold water first; adding it dry to hot liquid makes lumps.
3
Shred the chicken
- Lift the chicken onto a plate with tongs, discard the onion half and bay leaf, and strain the stock if you want it clear.
- You should have about 5 cups (1.2 L) of stock; top up with water if needed.
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the bones and shred the meat with two forks into bite-size pieces.
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Ready when: The meat falls into tender shreds and no bones or cartilage remain.
4
Sauté the base
- Wipe out the pot, then heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent, and smells sweet.
5
Fry the pastes
- Stir in the tomato paste and the pepper paste, if using.
- Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens to brick red and smells sweet and roasted.
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Ready when: Paste turns a deeper brick red and sticks slightly to the pot bottom.
Tip: Lower the heat if the paste starts to scorch; burnt paste turns bitter.
6
Add stock and tarhana
- Pour in the stock, scraping up any browned bits.
- Whisk the tarhana paste once more, then pour it into the pot in a steady stream while whisking constantly.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, whisking, then reduce to medium-low.
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Ready when: Soup thickens slightly and looks uniformly pinkish-orange, with no lumps.
Tip: Do not stop whisking until it boils; tarhana settles and scorches on the bottom quickly.
7
Simmer the soup
- Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the soup is thick and creamy and coats the back of a spoon.
- Add a splash of hot water if it becomes thicker than heavy cream.
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Ready when: The raw, sour-dough smell mellows, and the soup is creamy and coats a spoon.
8
Return chicken and season
- Stir the shredded chicken into the soup and simmer for 3 minutes to rewarm.
- Season with salt and black pepper, tasting first, since tarhana can be salty.
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Ready when: Chicken is hot throughout and the soup tastes savory with a pleasant tang.
9
Make the spiced butter
- In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the paprika and crumbled dried mint, and swirl for 20 seconds; the residual heat blooms the spices.
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Ready when: Butter is bright red-orange, sizzling softly, and smells of mint.
Tip: Take the pan off the heat before adding paprika; it burns and turns bitter in seconds.
10
Serve
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls, drizzle each with the spiced butter, and serve right away with lemon wedges.
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Tip: A squeeze of lemon brightens the tarhana's tang.

Good to know

Tips

Always whisk tarhana with cold water first, then add it to the pot while whisking, to avoid lumps.
Stir often during the simmer; the thick soup can stick and scorch on the bottom.
Taste for salt only at the end, since tarhana brands differ widely.
If your tarhana is coarse crumbs rather than powder, soak it in the water for 30 minutes and blend it smooth before adding.

Make ahead

"Make the soup through step 8 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Make the spiced butter fresh when serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 2 months. The soup thickens as it sits, so reheat gently over medium-low heat with a splash of water or stock, stirring often, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C)."

Substitutions

bone-in, skinless chicken thighs → bone-in chicken breasts. Poach for 20 to 25 minutes until 165°F (74°C); the meat will be leaner and the stock lighter.
Turkish sweet red pepper paste (biber salçası) → extra tomato paste plus 1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper. Use 1 tbsp more tomato paste for a similar depth.
unsalted butter → olive oil. Use 2 tbsp for a dairy-free finish.
dried mint → dried oregano. Use 1 tsp; it is stronger and gives a different, more savory flavor.