Country-style pickle soup with chicken

12 servings

120 minutes

Village-style pickle soup with chicken is a true embodiment of Russian cuisine, combining rustic simplicity and rich flavor. Barley, sauerkraut, and pickles create a unique sour-salty base that makes this soup hearty and warming when paired with tender chicken. Its roots go deep into the history of Russian gastronomy when housewives prepared dishes from simple and accessible ingredients. The secret to its taste lies in the fragrant sautéing of vegetables and the addition of cucumber brine that gives the soup a piquancy. Pickle soup is traditionally served hot with a spoonful of sour cream that softens its acidity and fresh herbs. It is the perfect dish for a family dinner, capable of bringing back the atmosphere of home comfort and traditions.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 233.8
• Proteins: 13.9g
• Fats: 9.7g
• Carbohydrates: 23.6g

Ingredients

• Chicken: 800 g
• Potato: 5 pc
• Pearl barley: 0.5 glass
• Onion: 2 pc
• Carrot: 2 pc
• Pickles: 3 pc
• Salt: 1 tbsp
• Sugar: 1 tbsp
• Wheat flour: 2 tbsp
• Garlic: 4 clove
• Dried dill: 1 tbsp
• Dried parsley: 1 tbsp
• Sauerkraut: 100 g
• Cucumber pickle: 1 glass

Cooking steps

1. Soak the pearl barley overnight. You can steam it in boiling water for a quicker result, about two hours.

   Required ingredients:

   • Pearl barley: 0.5 glass

2. In a large five-liter pot (for a big family), boil chicken cut into large pieces (about 40 minutes). The heat should be slightly above medium. Let it simmer. Strong boiling is not welcome.

   Required ingredients:

   • Chicken: 800 g

3. While the chicken is boiling, sauté chopped onion in a pan until transparent (about 10 minutes, stirring). Add grated carrot and pickled cabbage to the onion. Cover with a lid and simmer everything for about 30 minutes, stirring, on low heat.

   Required ingredients:

   • Onion: 2 pieces
   • Carrot: 2 pieces
   • Sauerkraut: 100 g

4. When the cabbage becomes soft, we open the lid, increase the heat, and add flour. Stir and wait for 3-4 minutes. The pan will smell like cabbage pies. Just what we need.

   Required ingredients:

   • Wheat flour: 2 tablespoons

5. Add chopped pickles and pour in a glass of cucumber brine. Simmer covered for 5 minutes.

   Required ingredients:

   • Pickles: 3 pieces
   • Cucumber pickle: 1 glass

6. Take the chicken out of the pot onto a plate, let it cool, and break it into pieces. Bones and cartilage are not needed in the soup; handle them as you wish.

7. Add chopped potatoes and pearl barley to the broth. Cook for about 30 minutes. Taste, the barley should be soft.

   Required ingredients:

   • Potato: 5 piece
   • Pearl barley: 0.5 glass

8. Add the contents of our pan with vegetables to the pot. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

   Required ingredients:

   • Sauerkraut: 100 g

9. We turn off the heat, add salt, sugar, crushed garlic, parsley, dill, and chicken meat. We mix it.

   Required ingredients:

   • Salt: 1 tablespoon
   • Sugar: 1 tablespoon
   • Garlic: 4 cloves
   • Dried dill: 1 tablespoon
   • Dried parsley: 1 tablespoon

10. Add sour cream and pepper to taste to the bowl of soup.

    Required ingredients:

    • Salt: 1 tablespoon