Interestingly, this classic Turkish chicken breast pudding doesn’t taste like chicken at all—instead, it is often flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, and is more reminiscent of a thick, creamy, and smooth milk or rice pudding, both in flavor and appearance.

Tavuk göğsü has its roots in a medieval French dessert called blancmange, and it was once prepared for the Ottoman sultans living at the Topkapı palace. Today it is considered one of Türkiye’s signature delicacies that is found in coffeehouses across the country.