Tavuk Göğsü - Turkish Chicken Breast Pudding

Preparing the Chicken Breast

1. Place the chicken breast in a pot and cover it with cold water.
2. Bring the water to a boil on medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and let the chicken simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until it's fully cooked.
3. Once cooked, place the chicken breast into a container and fill it with enough water to cover it.
4. Seal the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate. For the best results, leave it overnight, but a 4-5 hour waiting period is also sufficient.
5. After soaking, shred the chicken breast by hand and change the water. Repeat this process about 6-7 times, changing the water each time and shredding again. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is the shredding of the chicken, but doing this step correctly enhances its flavor.
6. After the chicken pieces have completely separated into fibers, squeeze out the water and set them aside.

Preparing the Custard

1. Place 1 tablespoon of sugar and the mastic in a mortar and pestle, and grind them thoroughly. Then, set the mixture aside.
2. Pour ¾ of the milk and sugar into a saucepan.
3. Heat it over medium heat until it comes to a gentle boil.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining milk with cornflour and starch to create a slurry.
5. Add the slurry into boiling milk and stir continuously to avoid it clumping until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. 
6. Stir in the chicken breast meat and let it simmer for another 10 minutes, until it has thickened and become smooth.
7. Remove the pan from the heat, add the mastic (or and vanilla paste) along with the butter, and blitz the mixture with a hand blender for a few minutes.
8. Whisk the mixture with a balloon whisk for a few minutes and then pour it into a baking dish or individual bowls.
9. Allow the pudding to cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate it for a few hours or until it's completely set. This usually takes about 4 hours or overnight.

Portioning and Serving Tavuk Gogsu

1. Once set, remove the pudding from the refrigerator.
2. Dust the top generously with cinnamon powder for added flavor and a beautiful presentation.
3. Sprinkle on some ground pistachio or any other nuts you prefer.
4. Cut it into squares or diamond shapes and serve your homemade Tavuk Göğsü chilled.