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Woman with a yellow jumper holding a bowl of Turkish chicken soup on a wooden board.
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Tavuk Corbasi - Turkish Chicken Soup

By Zerrin & Yusuf
Tavuk Corbasi, Turkish Chicken Soup with Orzo is a comforting and flavorful dish made with tender shredded chicken, homemade chicken stock, orzo, and a rich tomato base infused with dried mint and paprika. Perfect for chilly days!
Yields: 4 servings
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PREP 5 minutes
COOK 1 hour
TOTAL 1 hour 5 minutes

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 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

  1. If you use skinless chicken, substitute butter for olive oil to add a richer flavor.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

Calories: 697kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 43gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 233mgSodium: 1111mgPotassium: 725mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 867IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

ADDITIONAL INFO

Course Dinner
Cuisine Turkish
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