Traditional Hungarian Chicken Soup

Clean the chicken meat and rinse it thoroughly under cold water. Prepare the vegetables: peel the carrots and parsley root, clean the kohlrabi and celery, then cut them into larger pieces. Peel the onion and garlic cloves. Wash the cabbage, remove the outer leaves, and cut it into larger wedges.

Place the chicken meat in a large soup pot and pour in approximately 2.5–3 liters of cold water. Slowly bring it to a boil. When the soup starts boiling, carefully remove the foam that forms on the surface with a spoon. This helps create a clear and beautifully golden broth.

Add the onion, garlic, carrots, parsley root, kohlrabi, celery, and cabbage. Season with salt to taste, then simmer gently over low heat.

Do not boil the soup vigorously, as this can make the broth cloudy. Cook slowly for about 2–2.5 hours, until the chicken is tender and the vegetables have released their rich flavors into the broth.

When the soup is ready, carefully strain it through a fine sieve. Serve the meat and vegetables separately, or return them to the clear broth before serving.

Traditional Hungarian chicken soup is usually served with fine noodles, small pasta shapes, or homemade soup dumplings. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

Tip: For a richer golden color and deeper flavor, cook the onion with its well-washed outer skin still on. The onion skin naturally gives the broth a beautiful color and adds extra aroma.