Some dinners earn their place in a weekly rotation the first time you make them. This cheesy Turkish chicken in creamy white sauce is one of them. Marinated chicken cubes sautéed until slightly caramelized at the edges, blanketed in a silky bechamel, and finished with a double layer of melted mozzarella and cheddar, this is the kind of dish that looks and tastes like it came from a restaurant kitchen.
The yogurt marinade is what separates this Turkish chicken creamy white sauce recipe from a standard pan chicken dish. An hour in a spiced yogurt base with tomato paste, ginger-garlic, and cumin tenderizes the chicken at a structural level while building a deeply savory, slightly tangy flavor that holds its own beneath the rich white sauce. The two components are bold individually and genuinely excellent together.
This comes together in about 20 minutes of active cooking after the marinade, making it realistic for a weeknight dinner that doesn’t feel like a weeknight compromise.
Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Turkish Chicken in Creamy White Sauce
The layered flavor is the draw here, but the technique is what makes it approachable. The marinade does most of the flavor work passively while the chicken sits in the refrigerator, so the active cooking time stays short. The bechamel takes about five minutes once you understand the roux, and the cheese melts directly in the pan with no oven required.
Yogurt in the marinade does two things that make a real difference. It tenderizes the chicken through its mild acidity, keeping the meat moist even after a full sauté over medium-high heat. And it creates a slightly sticky coating on each cube that caramelizes beautifully in the pan, producing edges with real flavor before the white sauce ever touches the dish.
The combination of mozzarella and cheddar on top gives you melt and pull from the mozzarella alongside the sharp, savory depth of the cheddar. Together they create a cheese layer that’s more interesting than either alone.
Ingredients for Cheesy Turkish Chicken in Creamy White Sauce
I always recommend making the ginger-garlic paste fresh if you have the time. Two cloves of minced garlic and a teaspoon of finely grated fresh ginger whisked together is all it takes, and the brightness of fresh ginger in the marinade comes through in the finished chicken in a way that jarred paste doesn’t quite replicate.
The Chicken & Marinade:
- 500g (about 1.1 lbs) boneless chicken, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, whisked
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
- Salt to taste
The Creamy White Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley or oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed black pepper
- A pinch of salt
The Topping & Garnish:
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- Red chili flakes (optional)
Whole milk produces a noticeably smoother, richer bechamel than reduced-fat milk. The fat content is what gives the sauce its body and its ability to coat the chicken evenly when poured over the top. For the cheese, Kashkaval is the more authentic Turkish choice and melts beautifully with a slightly nuttier flavor than mozzarella. It’s worth seeking out at a Middle Eastern or specialty grocer if you want to lean into the Turkish character of the dish.
How to Make Cheesy Turkish Chicken in Creamy White Sauce
The key to the sauté step is letting the moisture cook off before you consider the chicken done. Marinated yogurt chicken releases quite a bit of liquid into the pan in the first few minutes, and it needs to fully evaporate before the chicken can develop any browning. Rushing this step leaves the chicken pale and steamed rather than caramelized and flavorful. Stay with medium-high heat and be patient until the pan sounds like sizzling rather than simmering.
- In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, tomato paste, ginger-garlic paste, vinegar, paprika, oregano, cumin, red chili powder, black pepper, and salt. Add the chicken cubes and toss until every piece is thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Longer marinating, up to 4 hours, deepens the flavor further.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid from the marinade has fully evaporated and the chicken is cooked through with slightly browned edges. If the chicken needs a little more time to become tender, cover the pan and cook on low for 2 additional minutes.
- While the chicken finishes cooking, make the white sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The roux should look smooth and pale, not brown.
- Add the milk gradually in a slow, steady stream while whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Add the dried parsley, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Increase the heat slightly to medium-low and continue stirring until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the white sauce evenly over the cooked chicken in the frying pan, using a spoon to make sure every piece is covered.
- Scatter the shredded mozzarella and cheddar over the top, followed by a handful of fresh cilantro or parsley. Add red chili flakes if you want heat visible in the finished dish.
- Cover the pan with a lid and let it sit over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese has fully melted and turned bubbly across the surface.
- Serve immediately while the cheese is gooey and the sauce is at its silkiest.
Pro tip: For a restaurant-style presentation, transfer the sautéed chicken to a preheated cast-iron skillet before adding the sauce and cheese. The residual heat keeps the dish sizzling at the table and the dramatic effect is worth the extra dish.
What to Serve with Cheesy Turkish Chicken in Creamy White Sauce
The sauce is generous and the flavors are bold, so the best accompaniments either soak up the white sauce or provide a fresh, cooling contrast.
Garlic rice or Turkish pilav: The most natural base for this dish. Buttery rice with toasted orzo, the classic Turkish pilav, absorbs the white sauce in every bite and rounds out the meal into something complete and deeply satisfying.
Warm pita or naan bread: Soft, warm pita torn and used to scoop the cheesy chicken directly from the pan is the most casual and most enjoyable way to eat this dish. Naan works equally well and holds up to the creamy sauce without becoming soggy.
Cucumber yogurt salad: A simple chopped cucumber salad dressed with plain yogurt, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh mint provides a cooling, acidic counterpoint to the richness of the bechamel and cheese. It mirrors the yogurt in the marinade and keeps the meal feeling balanced.
Roasted vegetables: A sheet pan of zucchini, red peppers, and eggplant roasted with olive oil and herbs brings color and a slightly smoky note to the plate that complements the spiced chicken well.
Simple green salad: Dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, a crisp green salad alongside this dish adds brightness and freshness. The acidity cuts through the cream sauce without competing with the Turkish spice profile.
Flatbread with hummus: Served alongside rather than as a base, a good flatbread with hummus extends the meal into something that works well for entertaining and keeps the Middle Eastern flavor thread running through the table.
Pro Tips & Variations
Extend the marinade time: One hour is the minimum, but marinating the chicken for 3 to 4 hours produces noticeably more tender, deeply flavored results. Overnight in the refrigerator is the best option if you can plan ahead.
Kashkaval cheese: If you can find it, Kashkaval is the traditional Turkish melting cheese and produces a more authentic, nuttier finished dish than the mozzarella and cheddar combination. Use it as a full replacement for both cheeses.
Add roasted peppers: Thinly sliced roasted red peppers layered over the chicken before the white sauce goes on add sweetness, color, and a subtle smokiness that complements the cumin and paprika in the marinade.
Oven finish: Instead of covering the pan to melt the cheese, transfer the assembled dish to an oven-safe skillet and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese bubbles and develops golden spots across the surface. The broiler finish gives the cheese layer a slightly different texture and a more dramatic visual result.
Adjust the heat level: The red chili powder as measured gives a moderate warmth to the marinade. Reduce to half a teaspoon for a milder result, or increase to 1.5 teaspoons and add extra chili flakes on top for a dish with real heat throughout.
Storage & Reheating Tips
This dish is best served immediately when the cheese is freshly melted and the sauce is at its smoothest. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of milk stirred in to help the white sauce return to a smooth consistency. The microwave works in a pinch, but use 50 percent power in 60-second intervals and stir between rounds to prevent the sauce from separating unevenly. The cheese layer won’t have quite the same gooey pull on day two, but the flavor of the spiced chicken holds up very well and the dish remains satisfying reheated.
Common Questions
My white sauce turned lumpy. How do I fix it? Lumps in bechamel usually mean the milk was added too quickly or the heat was too high. If lumps form, remove the pan from the heat and whisk vigorously. If that doesn’t smooth it out, strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve and return it to the pan over low heat. Adding the milk slowly in a steady stream while whisking constantly prevents this from happening in the first place.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs? Yes, though chicken thighs hold up slightly better through the marinade and high-heat sauté without drying out. If using breast meat, cut the cubes a little larger, around 1.5 inches, and watch the sauté time closely. Breast meat at this size is typically done in 7 to 9 minutes and can turn dry quickly if overcooked.
What if I don’t have roasted cumin powder? Regular ground cumin works as a direct substitute. For the roasted flavor, toast whole cumin seeds in a dry pan for 60 seconds until fragrant, then grind them. It adds a noticeably deeper, nuttier quality to the marinade that standard ground cumin approximates but doesn’t fully match.
This cheesy Turkish chicken in creamy white sauce brings together a spiced, yogurt-marinated protein and a classic European white sauce in a combination that’s genuinely distinctive and worth making regularly. The active cooking time stays short, the flavors are bold without being complicated, and the melted cheese finish makes every serving look like something worth sitting down for. This one earns its spot in the dinner rotation quickly.
Cheesy Turkish Chicken in Creamy White Sauce
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Combine the yogurt, tomato paste, ginger-garlic paste, vinegar, paprika, oregano, cumin, red chili powder, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken cubes and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until the liquid has fully evaporated and the chicken is cooked through with slightly browned edges. Cover and cook on low for 2 more minutes if needed.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the roux is smooth and pale.
- Add the milk gradually in a slow, steady stream while whisking continuously. Add the dried parsley, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the white sauce evenly over the cooked chicken in the frying pan, spooning it over every piece.
- Scatter the shredded mozzarella and cheddar over the top along with fresh cilantro or parsley and red chili flakes if using.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly across the surface.
- Serve immediately while the cheese is gooey. Spoon over garlic rice or serve with warm pita or naan bread.
