What’s your ultimate cold-weather soup? One of ours is Tavuk Çorbası, Turkish Chicken Soup. Made with simple homemade chicken stock, orzo, and a spiced tomato base, this Turkish soup is perfect for a cozy dinner on its own.
What Makes This Chicken Soup Turkish?
This isn’t just any chicken soup—it’s packed with flavors that make it uniquely Turkish.
This soup is also very similar to Turkish Orzo Soup (Şehriye Çorbası) but with the addition of chicken stock and shredded chicken.
In Turkey, making chicken soup always starts with homemade chicken stock (tavuk suyu). Nobody buys it from the store—making your own stock is just part of the process.
Also, dried mint, paprika (toz biber) and the tomato base add a warm and hearty flavor. These are like the signature of Turkish soups.
A Healing Soup for Colds
In Turkey, tavuk corbasi is the go-to soup for someone who catches a cold.
It’s believed that the vitamins and minerals from chicken bones and meat help boost the immune system and speed up recovery.
This is also another reason why we always make our chicken stock from scratch and why bone-in chicken parts or even a whole chicken are preferred.
About The Ingredients
This Turkish Chicken Soup Recipe is made with simple ingredients that come together to create a comforting dish. Here’s what you need:
- Chicken Thighs: We use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the best flavor. The bones and skin make the stock richer. You can also use drumsticks, a whole chicken, or even chicken breasts (though they won’t be as flavorful). If you prefer, skinless chicken can be used, but consider swapping olive oil for butter to add richness.
- Orzo (Arpa sehriye): Orzo is a traditional choice for this soup, but vermicelli, small pasta and rice are great substitutes if you don’t have orzo.
- Tomato Paste (Domates Salçası): Adds a deep, savory flavor that forms the base of the soup.
- Dried Mint: This is a must in this soup, so don’t skip it. Fresh mint isn’t a suitable substitute as it has a very different flavor.
- Paprika: Enhances both the color and flavor. You can substitute it with chili powder for a spicier kick.
- Garlic: Use freshly grated garlic for the best flavor.
- Tomato: We prefer grating a fresh tomato for its bright taste, but canned tomatoes work as a convenient alternative.
- Lemon Juice: Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the freshest, tangiest flavor.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley is essential, not just for garnish but to add a richer flavor to the soup. We don’t recommend substituting it.
How to Make Turkish Chicken Soup
Making tavuk corbasi is simple and so worth it!
Start by cooking the chicken to make a flavorful homemade stock. Cook the chicken thighs until golden on both sides for extra flavor. This step isn’t a must—you can pour water directly over raw chicken to make the stock—but frying the chicken first adds a much deeper taste.
Once the chicken is cooked and shredded, prepare the tomato and spice base, then add the orzo.
Pour in the chicken stock and simmer everything together until tender. Finally, mix in the shredded chicken, a splash of lemon juice and fresh parsley.
For detailed instructions, check out the full recipe in the recipe card below!
How to Shred the Cooked Chicken
After cooking the chicken, let it cool slightly so you can handle it without burning your fingers. Once it’s manageable, peel off the skin and discard it along with the bones.
While many people use two forks to shred chicken, we find it easier to use a knife and fork, as this gives more control for creating perfect, bite-sized pieces.
Zerrin’s mom, on the other hand, prefers the hands-on method, shredding the chicken entirely by hand. It’s quick, simple, and just as effective!
Make sure to cover the shredded chicken until it’s time to add it back to the soup to keep it from drying out.
Alternative Ingredients to Add
Turkish Chicken Soup is already packed with flavor, but you can easily customize it by adding other ingredients. Here are some ideas:
Red pepper paste: It is known as biber salcasi in Turkey. You can add half a tablespoon of it along with the tomato paste.
Vegetables: Add diced carrots, celery, or potatoes to make the soup heartier. These can be cooked along with the orzo.
Spices: For a spicier version, add red pepper flakes (pul biber).
Chickpeas: Add cooked chickpeas for an extra boost of protein and heartiness.
Can I Use Other Parts of Chicken to Make This Soup?
Absolutely! While we prefer using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for their rich flavor, other chicken parts work just as well.
Drumsticks work just as well as chicken thighs in this recipe. Simply follow the same steps outlined here.
A whole chicken is another great option. You can place the whole chicken directly into the pot. If you find it tricky to fry the whole chicken, you can skip that step entirely. Your chicken stock will still be delicious as it has plenty of bones to make the stock flavorful.
If you choose to use a whole chicken, keep in mind that it takes longer to cook—about 1.5 hours or more, depending on the size of the chicken.
Chicken breasts are also an option, especially if you prefer a leaner soup, but they won’t add as much flavor to the stock.
What to Serve with It
You should always serve Turkish chicken soup with lemon wedges on the side so everyone can add more lemon juice to their bowl if they like.
For bread, Ramazan Pidesi and Bazlama are perfect options to enjoy with this soup. Their soft, fluffy texture is great for dipping into the rich broth.
Turkish people often pair this soup with tangy pickles (turşu) for a burst of flavor or a bowl of fresh salad with greens.
How to Store It
Tavuk corbasi stores well. Here’s how:
Let the soup cool completely and transfer it to an airtight container. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm the soup gently on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup has thickened (especially from the orzo), add a splash of water or chicken broth to adjust the consistency.
We don’t usually recommend freezing it because the texture of the orzo might not be as good after thawing.
More Turkish Soups
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📖 Recipe
Tavuk Corbasi - Turkish Chicken Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided (1 tablespoon for chicken stock and 1 tablespoon for the soup - see Note 1)
- 950 grams chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on (6-7 chicken thighs - see Note 2)
- 1.5 liters water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried mint
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tomato pureed (about ½ cup, we prefer fresh but canned is okay too)
- 2 cloves garlic mashed
- 100 grams orzo (you can also use vermicelli or another small pasta)
- 1½ teaspoons salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon squeezed
- 1 tablespoon parsley (with stems) chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in the pot, skin side down, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip them over and cook the other side until golden. If they stick to the bottom of the pot, they’re not ready to turn yet. Cook for 1-2 minutes longer, then try again.
- Pour 1.5 liters (6 and ⅓ cups) of water over the chicken and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken is very tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.
- Transfer the chicken thighs from the pot and pour the stock into a separate bowl.
- Shred the cooked chicken with a knife and fork, discarding the skin and bones. Set the shredded chicken aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same pot. Add the tomato paste, dried mint, and paprika. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Before it dries out, add the pureed tomato and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Then add the mashed garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the orzo, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the chicken stock back into the pot and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking.
- Once it boils, reduce the heat and simmer until the orzo is tender.
- Add the shredded chicken, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Stir and let everything simmer for a few more minutes.
- Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice if needed, then serve warm.
NOTES
- If you use skinless chicken, substitute butter for olive oil to add a richer flavor.
- We prefer skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs because the bone and skin add great depth to the stock. You can use any chicken part with bones—chicken legs or drumsticks work well too. A whole chicken would be wonderful, while chicken breasts are an option but won’t provide as much flavor.
- When making homemade chicken stock for this soup, you can add extra ingredients like celery sticks, bay leaves, onion, garlic cloves, and carrots for more flavor. Just be sure to strain the stock before adding it to the soup if you do.
- It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm the soup gently on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup has thickened, add a splash of water or chicken broth to adjust the consistency.
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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