Sour chicken soup

I make this sour chicken soup a few times a year, especially when I crave a warm meal that is easy to prepare and uncomplicated. The ingredients are simple, nothing special, but every step matters for the final taste. The pickled tarragon gives it a distinctive note, and I add the eggs and sour cream only at the end, after the soup has stopped boiling, to prevent curdling.

Quick Info

Total time: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: around 1 hour
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: sour chicken soup, suitable for lunch

Ingredients

1 chicken breast (washed and cut into cubes)
4-5 carrots
2 parsley roots
1 onion
1 bell pepper
2 medium potatoes
2 tablespoons rice
200 ml sour cream
2 eggs
1-2 tablespoons oil
salt
pepper
pickled tarragon, to taste
fresh parsley leaves
water (about three-quarters of the pot, depending on how many servings you want)

Preparation steps

1. Clean and wash all the vegetables. Chop the onion finely, slice the carrots and parsley root into rounds, and dice the bell pepper into small cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the chopped vegetables and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not burn them; just let them soften slightly and flavor the base of the soup.
3. Wash the chicken breast, remove any skin, and cut it into suitable cubes. Add it to the vegetables in the pot.
4. Pour in cold water until the pot is about three-quarters full. Add salt and pepper.
5. Let it boil over medium heat. When the carrots are almost cooked (check with a fork to ensure they are not hard), add the peeled and cubed potatoes and the two tablespoons of rice.
6. Continue to boil the soup until the potatoes and rice are cooked. Remove the pot from the heat.
7. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the sour cream. To prevent curdling when added to the hot soup, let the soup cool for 10-15 minutes, then gradually add the egg and sour cream mixture while stirring continuously.
8. Chop the pickled tarragon and add it to the pot, to taste. Adjust the sourness to your liking.
9. Finally, add chopped fresh parsley.

Why I make this recipe often

I love it because I use simple pieces of chicken and any vegetables I have on hand. It's not fussy. It always turns out well, and the tarragon gives it character. It works well for both lunch and dinner.

Tips and variations

Tips

If you don’t want the sour cream to curdle with the egg, be patient and let the soup cool down before adding them.
Adjust the amount of tarragon according to how sour you want it; you can just use the juice if you don’t want the leaves in the soup.
Finely chopped onion will be more pleasant in texture, avoiding large chunks in the soup.

Substitutions

You can replace the chicken breast with thigh meat if that’s what you have in the fridge.
If you don’t have tarragon, the soup won’t have its specific flavor, but you can sour it lightly with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar, although the taste will differ.
You can leave out the rice if you prefer, but the soup won’t be as filling.

Variations

You can add celery or a little parsnip root for extra flavor.
If you want a thicker soup, increase the amount of rice or add more potatoes.
If you like it spicier, a pinch of dried chili pepper works well at the end.

Serving ideas

I usually serve it warm, with homemade bread or even plain if it’s part of a richer menu.
It also goes well with fresh chili peppers on the side for those who want it.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use another part of the chicken, not just the breast?
Yes, you can use thighs or backs; it’s important that the meat doesn’t have too much fat. The breast cooks faster and doesn’t leave much greasy broth.

2. If I don’t have pickled tarragon, what can I use?
Pickled tarragon gives the specific taste, but if you don’t have it, you can try a bit of lemon juice or vinegar at the end. The taste won’t be the same, but it will still be sour.

3. Should the sour cream be full-fat or low-fat?
Ideally, it should be at least 20% fat sour cream to prevent curdling easily. If you use lower-fat sour cream, the soup may turn out thinner and the risk of curdling is higher.

4. How do I know when the meat is done?
Check with a fork: if it separates easily and isn’t pink in the middle, it’s done.

5. Can I keep the soup in the fridge for the next day?
Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days. It can be easily reheated over low heat.

Nutritional values

Approximately, for a 350 ml serving: about 200-230 kcal, 17-19 g protein (from chicken and eggs), 7-9 g fat (from sour cream and eggs), 18-20 g carbohydrates (from vegetables and rice). These are approximate values, depending on how much meat or rice you add, how much sour cream you use, and how fatty the sour cream is.

Storage and reheating

It can be stored in the fridge in a pot with a lid for up to 2-3 days. When reheating, place the pot over low heat and stir occasionally. If you heat it too much, the sour cream may curdle, but the taste remains good. You can also add a little water if it has reduced too much during storage. I do not recommend freezing it, as the sour cream does not behave well after thawing.

 Ingredients: 1 chicken breast, 4-5 carrots, 2 parsley roots, 1 onion, bell pepper, 2 medium potatoes, 2 tablespoons of rice, 200 ml of sour cream, 2 eggs, salt, pepper, oil, water, tarragon in vinegar, parsley leaves

 Tags:  chicken soup