Poached Eggs, plus Chili Butter and Garlicky Yogurt

Poached Eggs, plus Chili Butter and Garlicky Yogurt is a Mediterranean-inspired egg dish that combines a creamy, garlic-herbed yogurt with a warm, homemade spicy chili butter. It's simple to prepare, makes a great breakfast, and it's packed with flavor.

Close-up of chili-poached eggs on a white dish.

This recipe is inspired by the classic Turkish dish known as çılbır, traditionally made with poached eggs yogurt, and spiced butter. While there are many similarities, our version kicks up the garlicky yogurt with a splash of lemon and fresh dill.

At first, the idea of a savory yogurt may not be appealing, but trust us, if you like tzatziki sauce, then this cucumber-free version is for you. The spicy butter sauce is the icing on the cake, giving you a ticket to dunk town (get that crusty bread ready)!

Key ingredients

A thick Greek yogurt is key, but you can swap in Icelandic Skyr (which we're loving right now).

For the chili butter sauce, all you need is butter and chili flakes. The Turkish version uses Aleppo pepper (milder), but this Italian girl always has crushed red pepper in her pantry, so that's what we use.

A table view of chili-poached eggs half eaten, with bread dunked in the egg.

Full ingredient list can be found in the recipe card below.

Step-by-step instructions

This recipe comes together in 3 easy steps. First make the yogurt sauce, then poach the eggs, and lastly, finish with a quick pan-made chili butter sauce. Check out the steps below to help you along.

A collage of four images showing how to poach eggs in a pot of water.

Steps 1-4. Strain the extra whites from the egg over a fine mesh sieve. Create a "vortex" in a pot of simmering water. Add the egg, and simmer undisturbed for 2½-3 minutes.

A collage of six images showing how to make chili poached eggs.

Step 1. Mix the yogurt. Step 2. Toast the bread. Step 3. Melt butter and chili flakes. Step 4. Spread the yogurt on a dish. Step 5. Add the eggs. Step 6. Drizzle with chili butter, salt, pepper, and dill.

*These are abbreviated instructions. The full list of directions can be found in the recipe card below.

Expert tips

Poach eggs at room temperature. This helps the eggs set and lessens the chances of wispy whites.
Add vinegar while poaching. We often skip this step (because we're lazy), but vinegar helps the whites set. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the poaching water to keep the egg whites from spreading too much.
Cook the chili butter low and slow. Heat the butter and chili over low heat, until melted. Too hot and it will sizzle and start to brown, which can lead to a bitter sauce.
Taste as you go. You can adjust the spice level of the chili butter by starting with a small amount and adding more to taste. Same with the garlic. If you are sensitive to garlic, add less, then adjust to taste.

Swaps

You can get creative with the yogurt sauce, eggs, and even the chili sauce. Use what you have on hand to make this recipe even easier.

Herbs and spices Try a mix of different herbs, such as parsley, chives, or basil. Use garlic powder instead of fresh, or add cumin, smoked paprika, or za'atar to the yogurt.
Roasted garlic If you don't like the taste of raw garlic, you can roast the garlic in advance for a milder taste. We actually prefer it this way, but since it takes a bit of time, we included the raw garlic in the recipe.
Any style eggs Don't like poached eggs? No problem, top the garlicky yogurt sauce with soft-boiledjammy or fried eggs.
Smoked butter varitiation Skip the chili butter sauce, and top the finished dish with our smoked chive butter (melt it so it's pourable).
Olive oil You can use use oilve oil in place of the butter for drizzling over the eggs.

Overhead of two poached eggs on a white dish with yogurt and chili butter.

Serving suggestions

There's one non-negotiable here, and that's the bread. Toasted! We're talking a good ol' crusty loaf of bread, capable of sopping up the drippy, egg, yogurt, and chili butter all at once. You can swap in biscuits or even focaccia but dunking is a must (We swear we're not yelling).

Storage and prep

While the final dish should be eaten fresh after assembled, you can make the garlic yogurt (up to 3 days) and the chili butter (up to 5 days) ahead of time. When ready to serve, poach the eggs, gently rewarm the butter, and give the garlic yogurt a good stir.

Poached eggs on a white dish with toasted bread and a fork.

Kitchen questions

How spicy is the chili butter?

It all depends on what spice you're using. If using Aleppo pepper, it's slightly milder than crushed red pepper. If using crushed red pepper, we would use less than the recipe calls for. You could always taste and adjust as you go.

How much is one serving?

If having this for breakfast or a light lunch, typically ½ cup yogurt and 2 poached eggs is sufficient. You can adjust the serving if it's part of a main brunch or bigger meal.

Solid Pairings

Need more dunking options?