Printed August 31, 2026
Fried Chicken Çılbır
Those cold fried chicken pieces meet poached eggs, garlicky yogurt, and chili butter in this Southern-Ottoman breakfast that'll change your morning game forever. Crispy skin meets silk in the most unexpected way.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces leftover fried chicken
- 2 cups Greek yogurt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt to taste
- Fresh dill for garnish
- Crusty bread for serving
Preparation
Çılbır—Turkish poached eggs with yogurt—is already perfect. But what if we introduced it to leftover fried chicken? The result is a breakfast that honors both traditions while creating something entirely new, where cold fried chicken gets reheated in the most luxurious way possible.
Preparation
- Remove the skin from the fried chicken and set aside. Shred the chicken meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut the chicken skin into strips and crisp them up in a 400°F oven for 8-10 minutes.
- Mix yogurt with minced garlic and salt, then divide among four shallow bowls.
- Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer and add vinegar. Poach eggs one at a time until whites are set but yolks remain runny, about 3 minutes each.
- While eggs cook, melt butter in a small pan and stir in Aleppo pepper and smoked paprika until fragrant.
- Warm the shredded chicken gently in a separate pan.
- To assemble: spread yogurt in bowls, top with warm shredded chicken, place a poached egg on top, and drizzle with spiced butter.
- Garnish with crispy chicken skin pieces and fresh dill.
The magic moment: When you break that yolk and it mingles with the garlicky yogurt and the spiced butter, creating a sauce that the chicken pieces swim through—that's when yesterday's dinner becomes today's revelation. Serve with crusty bread to mop up every bit.
