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Chicken Kharcho soup

Chicken kharcho soup

The famous Georgian soup, but with chicken instead of beef. In Georgian, kharcho is called "dzrokhis khortsi kharshot" — literally, beef simmered in broth. Originally kharcho was beef in a walnut sauce. But some people prefer chicken to other meats, and this recipe is for them.

Maria

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Water

2.5

Chicken (on the bone)

500

Tomatoes (canned, chopped, in their own juice)

200

Rice

100

Walnuts

Onion

Garlic

Cilantro (bunch)

Lemon juice

Khmeli-suneli

0.5

Paprika

0.5

Ground black pepper

Ground hot pepper (a pinch)

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 33 % 3 g

Fats 33 % 3 g

Carbohydrates 33 % 3 g

55 kcal

GI: 33 / 67 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

Gather your ingredients. For chicken kharcho you'll need: water, bone-in chicken (breast, legs, wings), an onion, cilantro, tomato paste or chopped tomatoes in their own juice (fresh tomatoes work too), garlic, rice, walnuts, lemon juice, khmeli-suneli, paprika, ground chili, ground black pepper, and salt.
Step 2:

Wash and dry the bunch of cilantro. Separate the stems from the leaves.
Step 3:

Wash the chicken and peel the onion. Put the chicken, the whole onion, and the cilantro stems in a pot. Bring to a boil and cook, skimming off the foam, until the chicken is done, about 40 minutes.
Step 4:

Strain the finished broth. Return it to the heat and bring it back to a boil.
Step 5:

Cut the chicken meat into small pieces.
Step 6:

Rinse and drain the rice.
Step 7:

Finely chop the walnuts.
Step 8:

Finely chop the remaining cilantro leaves. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
Step 9:

Add the rice to the boiling broth. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.
Step 10:

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the chicken meat and fry for 4-5 minutes.
Step 11:

Add the canned tomatoes (or tomato paste, or fresh tomatoes), lemon juice, khmeli-suneli, paprika, and ground black pepper to the chicken.
Step 12:

Simmer, stirring, for 3-5 minutes.
Step 13:

Transfer the contents of the skillet to the pot. Add the walnuts and hot pepper. Cook for about 5 more minutes. At this point you can also add 1-2 tablespoons of tkemali (sour plum sauce). I left it out, since I needed the soup in a hurry and the store was far away.
Step 14:

At the end, add the cilantro and garlic, and salt to taste. Cover the soup and let it steep for about 10 minutes.
Step 15:

Ladle the kharcho into bowls and serve. Enjoy!

Kharcho is one of Georgia's most famous and beloved soups, considered a national dish. You can't mistake it for any other first course: it's a thick, very filling soup. Different regions make it their own way, sometimes departing significantly from the recipe, but there are certain rules followed everywhere kharcho is cooked. The recipe is much debated, including the choice of meat. Some think beef can be swapped for lamb or even a mix of meats, but the classic version uses only beef — using anything else is considered improper. People of the Caucasus value pork, lamb, chicken, and so on, but beef is one of the staples of the regional diet. A signature feature of this Georgian dish is the tkemali (sour plum sauce) in the recipe. Another essential ingredient: ground walnuts, at the rate of half a cup per two quarts of broth.