Traditional Turkish Çekme Soup
Çekme Çorbası
This rustic Turkish soup has a silky, slightly thick texture with tender shreds of chicken and soft vegetables floating in a rich, golden broth. The soup gets its name from the pulling motion used to shred the chicken into delicate strands. It's the perfect comfort food that warms you from the inside out and makes your kitchen smell incredible.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Cook chicken breast
Place chicken breast in a large pot with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat for 2-3 minutes, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and tender when pierced with a fork. Do not overcook as it will become dry and tough.
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Prepare vegetables
While chicken cooks, finely dice the onion into 5mm pieces and cut the carrot into small 1cm cubes. Heat butter in a separate pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until melted and fragrant. Do not let the butter brown or burn.
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Sauté vegetables
Add diced onion to the melted butter and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add carrots and cook for another 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Do not let vegetables brown or caramelize.
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Make flour roux
Sprinkle flour over the sautéed vegetables and stir continuously over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until flour is cooked and mixture forms a light paste. The mixture should smell nutty but not brown. Do not let the flour burn or stick to the bottom.
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Shred cooked chicken
Remove chicken from pot and reserve the cooking liquid. Let chicken cool for 3-4 minutes until safe to handle, then use two forks to shred into fine threads by pulling the meat apart. The chicken should separate into silky strands easily.
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Combine soup base
Gradually add the reserved chicken cooking liquid and chicken broth to the flour mixture, stirring constantly over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened. The soup should coat the back of a spoon lightly. Do not let it boil vigorously or it will become lumpy.
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Add chicken and season
Add the shredded chicken to the soup and simmer over low heat for 8-10 minutes until flavors meld and soup reaches desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Do not boil rapidly or the chicken will become stringy.
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Finish with egg-lemon
In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk with lemon juice for 1 minute until smooth. Remove soup from heat and slowly add the egg mixture while stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes until incorporated and soup becomes silky. Do not add to hot soup or the egg will scramble.
Tips
Cooking Tips
To achieve the signature silky texture, always temper the egg-lemon mixture by adding a ladleful of warm soup to it first, then gradually incorporate it back into the pot while stirring constantly.
Alternatives
If you don't have chicken breast, use chicken thighs for more flavor, though they'll need an extra 5-10 minutes cooking time. Turkey breast works well too and shreds beautifully.
Serving & Storage
Serve hot as a starter with crusty bread and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but gently reheat without boiling to prevent the egg from curdling.
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