Registered by TÜRKPATENT as geographical indication no. 1495, Çarşamba Keşkeği belongs to the food culture of Çarşamba in Samsun. Its specification describes a pale, porridge-like keşkek made with chicken, döğmelik wheat, butter, chicken broth, water and salt. The rhythmic beating is locally called güdelleme and is associated with communal preparation, especially at weddings. This home-kitchen version keeps that ingredient profile and defining texture while using a standard stockpot and wooden spoon.
Çarşamba Keşkeği — Recipe Card
Creamy Chicken and Wheat Keşkek from Çarşamba
Makes 10 servingsUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Çarşamba Keşkeği
Parboil and rest the wheat
Put the rinsed wheat in a large heavy pot with 1.2 litres (5 cups) of the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. To follow the traditional overnight schedule safely at home, cool the covered pot promptly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours.
Poach and shred the chicken
Put the chicken in a second large pot with 2.3 litres (9 3/4 cups) of the remaining water. Bring just to a boil, skim, then cover partially and simmer gently for 60–75 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 74°C/165°F. Lift out the chicken and strain the broth. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and finely shred the meat. Reserve at least 1.5 litres (6 1/4 cups) of unsalted broth.
Cook the wheat until it bursts
Drain any water left with the rested wheat. Return the wheat to the heavy pot and add 1.5 litres (6 1/4 cups) of the hot reserved chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook partially covered for 60–90 minutes, stirring more often as it thickens, until the grains are swollen and beginning to break down. Add hot water in 240 ml (1-cup) portions if the wheat becomes dry before it is very soft.
Add the chicken and butter
Stir in the shredded chicken, 125 g (4.4 oz) of the butter and 18 g (3 teaspoons) of the salt. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring from the bottom so the thick mixture does not catch.
Beat the keşkek
Keep the pot over low heat and work the mixture vigorously with a sturdy wooden spoon or flat-ended masher for 30–40 minutes. Press and beat until the chicken fibres and wheat merge into a pale, cohesive porridge with no obvious chunks. Taste, then add some or all of the remaining 6 g (1 teaspoon) salt. Loosen with a little hot broth or water only if needed; the finished keşkek should mound softly rather than run.
Finish with hot butter
Melt the remaining 125 g (4.4 oz) butter in a small pan until hot and foaming but not browned. Spoon the keşkek into warm shallow bowls, pour the butter over the surface and serve immediately.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-chicken-and-wheat-stew-carsamba-keskegi. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Choosing the wheat
Look for Turkish döğmelik or keşkeklik buğday, or use pearled wheat. Bulgur is already cracked too finely and will not develop the same elastic, beaten texture.
Butter and salt
The registered profile uses 250 g butter and 24 g salt. Unsalted butter and unsalted homemade broth keep that salt measurable; add the final 6 g only after tasting because broth concentration varies.
Dietary notes
This dish contains wheat gluten and dairy. There is no credible one-for-one gluten-free grain substitution that preserves keşkek’s defining texture, so the base recipe is not labelled gluten-free.
Heat level
No added chili. For an optional hot variation, bloom 1/2 teaspoon pul biber in 1 tablespoon of the topping butter; this sits outside the registered six-ingredient profile.
How to store and reheat Çarşamba Keşkeği
Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 4°C/40°F or colder for up to 3 days. Reheat only the amount needed with a splash of water or broth, stirring until it reaches 74°C/165°F throughout. Do not leave the thick chicken-and-wheat mixture at room temperature for extended serving.
Çarşamba Keşkeği: questions and answers
Can I make Çarşamba Keşkeği with bulgur?
No. Bulgur is cracked and partly precooked, so it turns soft before it can be beaten into the elastic texture made by whole pearled wheat.
Why is the keşkek beaten for so long?
Beating, called güdelleme in Çarşamba, breaks down the swollen wheat and disperses the chicken fibres. That creates the pale, cohesive texture that defines this regional version.
Can I cook the chicken and wheat a day ahead?
Yes. Cool the parboiled wheat, cooked chicken and strained broth promptly, refrigerate them separately at 4°C/40°F or colder, and combine them the next day.
How thick should finished keşkek be?
It should be thicker than risotto but softer than mashed potatoes: it should mound on the spoon, while a channel drawn across the pot closes slowly.
