Chicken ciorbă with vegetables

Name: Chicken ciorbă with vegetables
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (approximately 1.5 kg); 1500 ml water; 1/2 teaspoon salt for boiling; 1 large onion (180 g); 4 medium potatoes (600 g); 2 carrots (160 g); 1 small parsnip (100 g); 1 bell pepper (150 g); 1 medium zucchini (300 g); 250 ml hot water; for topping up; 1 teaspoon salt; to taste; 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper; 2 tablespoons tomato paste or 1 teaspoon paprika; 500 ml natural borș; 50 g thin noodles; 2 eggs; 3 tablespoons sour cream; 15 g fresh parsley

Soups - Chicken ciorbă with vegetables by Sonia K. - Recipia

Chicken ciorbă with vegetables, a Romanian sour soup, is served warm for lunch, with a tangy broth and well-cooked vegetables. The chicken simmers with potatoes, carrots and zucchini, then the borș, noodles and sour cream and egg mixture make the broth thicker. I leave the hot pepper on the table so everyone can season their own bowl. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 50 minutes. Rest: 0 minutes. Total time: 70 minutes. Servings: 6. Approximately 440 kcal and 35 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (approximately 1.5 kg)
1500 ml water
1/2 teaspoon salt for boiling
1 large onion (180 g)
4 medium potatoes (600 g)
2 carrots (160 g)
1 small parsnip (100 g)
1 bell pepper (150 g)
1 medium zucchini (300 g)
250 ml hot water
for topping up
1 teaspoon salt
to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste or 1 teaspoon paprika
500 ml natural borș
50 g thin noodles
2 eggs
3 tablespoons sour cream
15 g fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and cut it into serving-sized pieces. Put it on to boil in 1500 ml water with 1/2 teaspoon salt; boil for 15 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises. 2. Chop the onion. Peel the potatoes, carrots and parsnip, then dice them; dice the bell pepper and zucchini too. 3. Add the onion to the pot and boil for 5 minutes. Add all the other vegetables and boil for another 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If the broth reduces too much, add up to 250 ml hot water. 4. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper. Add the tomato paste or paprika and let it boil for 3 minutes. 5. Pour in the borș, a Romanian fermented souring liquid, and add the noodles. Boil for 5 minutes, until the noodles are tender. 6. Beat the eggs with the sour cream. Gradually stir a few spoonfuls of hot broth into the mixture, then pour it into the pot, stirring. Simmer over low heat for 2 minutes without letting it boil vigorously. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and turn off the heat.

Notes

Serve with bread; the tangy broth goes well with a piece of fresh bread. You can replace the noodles with 50 g rice; keep the eggs and sour cream, and note that regular noodles contain gluten. Store the soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. A chicken larger than 1.5 kg may need another 10 minutes at the first boil, before you add the onion. Natural borș can be more sour from one bottle to the next, so taste it before pouring it in. Don’t rush adding the egg and sour cream mixture: stir in the hot broth a little at a time so it stays smooth.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken?

Yes. Use 6 bone-in chicken thighs, about 1.2 kg, and boil them for 15 minutes before adding the onion.

What can I use instead of borș?

You can use 250 ml cabbage brine and 250 ml water. Taste before adding more salt, since the cabbage brine may be salty.

Why does the sour cream and egg mixture curdle?

The soup is boiling too vigorously when you add it. Before adding it, stir 100 ml hot broth into the bowl, then pour the mixture into the pot.

Can I use chicken breast?

Yes, but add 700 g chicken breast cut into 3 cm cubes after the vegetables have boiled, and simmer it for 15 minutes, until it is no longer pink in the center.

What other pasta can I use instead of noodles?

You can use 50 g tiny star-shaped pasta. Check the texture after 4 minutes, since small pasta softens quickly.