Sorrel Soup with Potatoes and Chicken
This Sorrel Soup is a classic Russian Green Borscht made with bone-in chicken thighs and potatoes for a satisfying yet bright soup that's good year-round.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons beef tallow or another cooking fat like ghee, lard, or avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 celery rib diced
- 1 pound bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 3 quarts water
- 4 hard boiled eggs diced
- 3 gold potatoes peeled and diced
- 4 cups sorrel
- ½ cup fresh dill chopped
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
- 1 cup whole milk yogurt
- sour cream and lemon wedges for garnish
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, saute chopped 1 yellow onion in 2 tablespoons beef tallow until translucent. Add 1 carrot and 1 celery rib and continue to cook on medium heat for another 3 minutes until softened.
- Add the 1 pound bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, 2 bay leaves, and 2 teaspoons sea salt and fill the pot with 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
- If you don't have 4 hard boiled eggs from meal prep, cook them now. Place the eggs in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 9-12 minutes. Once done, transfer eggs to an ice bath to cool, peel and dice.
- After the chicken has been simmering for 20 minutes, add peeled and diced 3 gold potatoes and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the pot. Discard the skin (or make crispy chicken skin) and bones, then return the meat to the pot.
- Pour a ladle of broth into the bowl with the 1 cup whole milk yogurt, if using, and whisk until smooth, then stir it into the soup. Add chopped 4 cups sorrel, eggs, ½ cup fresh dill, ¼ cup parsley, and ¼ cup green onions into the pot and stir until combined.
Notes
Storage: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply warm it on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If you'd like to freeze it, make sure you do so without the yogurt as it will separate during thawing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Helpful Tips:
- Don't skip the saute - Cooking the onions, carrots, and celery in fat first builds a flavorful base. Be sure to use a healthy cooking fat for that deep flavor.
- Dice potatoes evenly - Dice them small enough to cook evenly but not so tiny that they fall apart. Gold potatoes hold their shape well so they're a great candidate here.
- Taste test last - There's lots of variables here when it comes to salt and flavor in this soup. Sorrel, yogurt, and lemon all add acidity, so wait until the end to adjust the salt.
- Don't overcook the sorrel - Stir it in at the very end to keep its fresh, tangy flavor intact. It wilts quickly, so just a brief moment in the hot broth is all you need to preserve its vibrant bite.
- Chicken too tough? If your chicken isn't cooked through, try simmering it for an extra 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Ensure you're cooking at a low simmer, as too much heat can cook the outside too quickly, making the chicken dry. If needed, cut the chicken into smaller pieces to speed up the process. You could also use boneless chicken thighs to cut the cooking time.
- Yogurt curdling? If your yogurt curdles in the soup, try tempering it first. Add a ladle of the hot broth to the yogurt and whisk it smooth before stirring it into the soup. This will help prevent curdling.
Nutrition
Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 308mg | Sodium: 1392mg | Potassium: 1066mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4986IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 4mg