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Comforting yoghurt, mint and chicken soup recipe

A traditional soup for hibernation season

November 2020

This healthy, cosy and extremely tasty yoghurt, mint and chicken soup is my version of my favourite traditional Turkish soups - 'yayla çorbası' (highland meadow soup). This recipe, also known as 'yoğurtlu çorbasi' (Yoghurt Soup) comes from the highlands of Turkey which is known for its top quality dairy products. It's popular across the whole country and also in neighbouring Cyprus. Locals serve it on winter days and as a remedy for a cold.

 

The best part about my Anneanne (Grandma) visiting when I was a kid was all of the amazing traditional Turkish and Cypriot food she would make for us.

 

Coming home from school to see the kitchen surfaces piled up with fresh börek, baklava, soups and casseroles filled me with joy. In our culture we show our love in the kitchen. Now that I'm all grown up myself I love finding these traditional recipes in my parents 40 year old notebooks. Recreating them takes me right back to being a child and feeling excited to come home to see what we'd be eating that night.

 

This recipe, found in my mum's notebook is from her mother and is one of her specialities. My mum only made it a few times that I can remember, but now that I have the recipe I'll be making it all the time!

 

Like my traditional Turkish red lentil soup, the original recipe uses pudding rice, which I substituted for the healthier complex carb, bulgur wheat. I also added chicken to push up the protein and make it more filling. With only 350 calories for a large portion, you can enjoy this warming soup all throughout winter!

Yoghurt, mint and chicken soup recipe

This healthy, warming and extremely tasty yoghurt, mint and chicken soup is my version of one of my favourite traditional Turkish soups - 'yayla çorbası'.

​

Serves 5

Equipment

  • Large Saucepan

  • Frying pan

  • Mixing bowl

  • Whisk

Ingredients

For the yoghurt base

  • 500g Plain yoghurt (3.5% fat)

  • 2 Eggs

  • 30g Plain flour (3 heaped tsp)

  • 1 tsp Chilli flakes (Optional)

  • 1 tsp Chicken stock powder

  • 4 tsp Salt

  • 1 tsp Pepper

  • 1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 Lemon, Juiced

Everything else

  • 600g Chicken breast

  • 150g Bulgur wheat

  • 1 ltr Hot water

  • 1 tsp Olive oil

  • 3 tsp Dried mint

Method

  1. Cover the chicken breasts in hot water in a big pot and boil with a dash of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice for 15 mins or until cooked.

  2. Once cooked, take the chicken breasts out to cool and empty the water.

  3. Boil the bulgur in the same pot in 350ml hot water and leave to one side once cooked.

  4. Shred the chicken breast and add it back into the pot with the bulgur without heat.

  5. In a mixing bowl, whisk the contents of the yoghurt base until smooth.

  6. Slowly mix in the hot water.

  7. Pour the liquid mixture into the pot with the bulgur and the pulled chicken and bring it to a gentle simmer. Stir gently for 10 minutes and avoid letting the soup boil.

  8. In a separate pan, fry the mint in the olive oil on a low heat and stir well for a few minutes to bring out the flavour.

  9. Stir the mint into the soup and simmer on a low heat for another 10 minutes.

  10. Serve with a sprinkle of mint and chilli flakes on top.

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