When I’m craving comfort food, I usually reach for something Mediterranean, creamy, and just a little unexpected. And this brunch dish hits all the right notes. It’s warm and tangy, silky and crunchy, and unapologetically rich—but in a way that feels earned. Think Turkish çılbır, but swap the poached eggs for crispy, golden, panko-coated deviled eggs. Yes, really.
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I first had çılbır in Istanbul nearly 10 years ago, at a café tucked behind the spice market. I was so surprised by how simple it was—garlicky yogurt, poached eggs, and a generous swirl of peppery olive oil. It felt nourishing in the same way a perfectly soft-boiled egg does: plain on paper, but satisfying down to the last smear.
Years later, while making fried deviled eggs for a party appetizer (the Southern kind, battered and crunchy on the outside, with a tangy, creamy filling), I started thinking about that Turkish breakfast. The contrast felt natural. The richness of the yolk. The crunch of the coating. The cold tang of yogurt. Together, they’re a textural fever dream.
This dish isn’t traditional, and it’s definitely not shy. But if you’re like me and love a little chaos in your eggs—hot, cold, crunchy, creamy—this one’s for you.
How This Twist Works
In classic çılbır, poached eggs sit atop garlicky yogurt and are doused with Aleppo-spiced butter or oil. The yolks are soft, runny, and warm. Here, we swap those poached eggs for halved hard-boiled eggs that get fried in a Zatar-panko mixture until crisp and golden. The yolks are whipped with dill, mustard, vinegar, and hot sauce before being piped back in.
And while the original dish is all about silk and flow, this one leans into contrast. The yogurt is still cool and garlicky and the olive oil still spicy and warm. But the egg brings in this unexpected crunch, with just enough heat and smoke to balance out the tang.
What I love most is how this dish comes together with ingredients you already know: Greek yogurt, Aleppo pepper, fresh dill, and a good loaf of bread. It’s playful, layered, and secretly really easy to make.
How to Serve It
I like this as a weekend brunch dish when you want to impress someone without trying too hard. It also makes a great appetizer if you skip the yogurt and just serve the deviled eggs with the Aleppo oil and some herbs. Either way, have bread nearby. Something rustic with a good chew.
This version serves two people—four deviled eggs each, nestled into thick garlicky yogurt and drizzled with spicy olive oil. If you’re cooking for more, it scales beautifully.
Ready to cook? Full recipe just below.
Crispy Deviled Egg Çılbır (Turkish Yogurt Eggs with a Southern Twist)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
The eggs:
4 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
1 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (plus more for garnish)
Juice of a lemon
½ teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
A head of roasted garlic
Salt and black pepper to taste
The coating:
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Zatar
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch of cayenne
Neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
Yogurt base:
1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt (at room temp)
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
Kosher salt, to taste
Olive oil drizzle:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes)
Instructions
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, grated garlic, and a pinch of kosher salt. Whisk until smooth and fluffy. Divide between two shallow serving bowls and set aside.
Carefully cut each hard-boiled egg in half lengthwise. Scoop the yolks into a bowl. Set the whites on a plate for now.
To the yolks, add mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, mustard, hot sauce, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Mash and mix until very smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag fitted with a corner cut.
Set up three bowls: one with flour, one with beaten egg, one with panko mixed with Parmesan, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Dredge each egg white in flour, dip in the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Press gently to adhere.
Heat 1½ inches of oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry the coated whites in batches until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined rack to drain.
Let the whites cool just slightly—enough to not melt the filling. Pipe the yolk mixture back into each crisped white half.
In a small skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in Aleppo pepper and cook just until fragrant—don’t let it smoke. Remove from heat.
Nestle four deviled egg halves into each bowl of yogurt. Drizzle with the spiced oil and top with fresh dill. Serve warm with crusty bread to scoop up every bite.