Rosół (Polish Chicken Noodle Soup)
In short: Clear, golden chicken soup simmered slowly with carrots, parsnip, celery root and leek, served over thin noodles, the Polish Sunday lunch soup. It takes about 2 h 55 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 2 h 30 min
- Total
- 2 h 55 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 250 kcal
Rosół is the soup of Polish Sunday lunch, family gatherings and sick days alike. A whole chicken, sometimes with a piece of beef, simmers for hours with carrot, parsnip, celery root, leek and a charred onion until the broth turns clear and golden. Thin noodles go in just before serving, with a shower of parsley. It takes patience rather than skill, and the cooked chicken can be served alongside.
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken, and the beef if using, and put them in a large stockpot with the cold water. Bring slowly to a boil over medium heat, about 25 minutes, skimming off the gray foam that rises.
- While it heats, set the onion halves cut side down in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until deeply browned. This gives the broth a golden color.
- Add the carrots, parsley roots, celery root, leek, onion, peppercorns, allspice, bay leaves and salt. Lower the heat until the surface barely trembles, partly cover and cook for 2 hours. Do not stir, and do not let it boil.
- After about 1 hour 15 minutes, check the chicken. When the thigh meat reaches 74°C (165°F) and pulls easily from the bone, lift the chicken out, remove the meat and return the bones to the pot.
- Strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with a clean cloth. Slice the carrots to keep for serving and discard the other vegetables. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Boil the noodles in a separate pot of salted water according to the package directions, then drain. Cooking them in the broth would cloud it and soak up the liquid.
- Reheat the broth to just below a simmer. Divide the noodles, carrot slices and shredded chicken among bowls, ladle the soup over and finish with chopped parsley or dill.
Tips
- Start with cold water and keep the pot at a barely trembling simmer. Hard boiling shakes fat and protein into the broth and makes it cloudy.
- Chill leftovers and lift off the layer of fat for a lighter soup. The broth keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer and is the base for tomato soup and many others.
Questions and answers
Why is my rosół cloudy?
Usually from boiling too hard, starting with hot water or cooking the noodles in the broth. Begin with cold water, keep the heat low and cook the noodles separately.
What do you do with the cooked chicken?
Serve it on the side with horseradish, shred it into the bowls, or use it in salads, sandwiches and dumpling fillings. Pull the meat from the bones while it is still warm.
Can I make it with only chicken?
Yes. Beef adds depth, but a whole chicken, or a mix of backs, necks and wings, is enough. More bones give a richer, more gelatinous broth.
How long does it take to make Rosół (Polish Chicken Noodle Soup)?
About 2 h 55 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 2 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Rosół (Polish Chicken Noodle Soup)?
About 250 kcal per serving, with 22 g of protein, 22 g of carbohydrates and 8 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 250 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 800 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
