Cilbir (Turkish Eggs in Yogurt)

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This delicious Turkish eggs in yogurt and chili oil recipe (called Çılbır or cilbir) is a fantastic brunch recipe.

You can eat this dish for breakfast or lunch - making it the perfect brunch dish.

It hits a delightful combination of flavor notes - fresh and bright, rich and spicy, creamy and savory.

Just a quick note on pronunciation - this recipe is pronounced like "chill-bur".

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• More Brunch Recipes to Try
• Tips for Making this Recipe
• Cilbir (Turkish Eggs in Yogurt)

The ingredients for this Turkish poached eggs recipe couldn't be simpler, but somehow they still manage to taste wonderful.

The combination of the hot chili butter hitting the eggs and yogurt is just fantastic. Whether you serve it with pita or toast, you'll be scooping it up incredibly fast!

Personally, I make this recipe on the weekends. Weekdays are for quick oatmeal or avocado toast. I don't know why but I won't poach an egg on a weekday! If you work from home, this could be a good option for lunch, but I highly recommend it as a weekend brunch recipe.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe (it doesn't take much!)

• Yogurt - You'll need 1 cup of greek yogurt for this recipe. I used Fage 0%, but you can use whatever brand and fat content you'd like (note that the nutrition information is calculated for low-fat Greek yogurt).
• Eggs - You'll poach several eggs to put on top of the yogurt. I make this recipe with 4 eggs (2 per person). You can use more or less if you'd like, but I think 2 per person is substantial and a good ratio of yogurt to egg.
• Vinegar - You'll need a tablespoon of white vinegar for poaching the eggs. This will be added to the simmering water to help the egg whites stay together and firm up faster.
• Butter - You'll use ¼ cup of butter to make the chili butter mixture. You can substitute this for olive oil, but I think we both know the butter is the star of the show in this recipe!
• Herbs & Spices - For the chili butter you'll need some Aleppo pepper, paprika, and cumin. To stir into the yogurt, you'll need some granulated garlic or garlic powder, kosher salt, and dried mint.

Instructions

Mix the yogurt with 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, ½ teaspoon of dried mint, 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic, and ½ teaspoon of sea salt. 

Spread the yogurt in an even layer across a large serving plate. Let rest at room temperature. 

Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When melted, add the Aleppo pepper flakes, paprika, and cumin. Stir to combine and turn off the heat. Allow the butter to rest while poaching the eggs. 

Heat a pot of boiling water (water should be at least 3 inches deep) with 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Bring it to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. One by one, crack the eggs into a small bowl and then gently slip them into the simmering water. Poach each egg for 2 ½ to 3 minutes. 

Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and gently place them on top of the yogurt. 

Top the eggs and yogurt with the melted butter mixture, the remaining parsley, the remaining dried mint, and the remaining salt. 

More Brunch Recipes to Try

If you're a fan of eggs or just brunch in general, check out some of our other favorite recipes.

• Chili Oil Eggs - eggs fried in chili oil then paired with rice and furikake seasoning
• Pesto Eggs - the internet's favorite eggs cooked in pesto!
• Watermelon Radish Toast - goat cheese + sourdough + watermelon radishes
• Grated Egg Avocado Toast - perfect for avocado toast lovers - a fun take on a classic breakfast recipe.
• Papaya Yogurt Bowl - this fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola combination is the best.

Tips for Making this Recipe

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Cooking Tips - Start your water boiling while you're making the yogurt and the chili butter. It will save you time when you're ready to poach the eggs.

Specialty Ingredients - This recipe calls for Aleppo pepper, which is a dried red chili pepper that's grown in Syria and Turkey. I use the Aleppo pepper from the Spice House (and highly recommend it). You can substitute this for regular red chili flakes if you need to!

Storing Tips - This recipe can be saved in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, it is absolutely at its best when you first make it. The combination of the cool yogurt and the hot butter is delicious.

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