Hungarian Chicken & Mushroom Soup
Rich, creamy, and simply delicious.
Soup is one of my favourite foods any time of year because it’s so versatile and makes you feel good inside and out. This dish is like a hug in a bowl and basically begs to be part of your comfort food repertoire. Even better, it can be served as a main with the added chicken, or as lighter fare without.
I also love serving this meal with pan-seared focaccia that’s got an extra drizzle of olive oil and some smoked sea salt on top— not to mention a lovely red wine like Pinot Noir on the side. Don’t forget to check out my focaccia recipe below to go with this soup, and make sure you save a place for me at the table.
—CFG
Ingredients
8oz chicken breast -OR- skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1” chunks
olive oil (for cooking)
4 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb. crimini (brown) mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp dried dillweed -OR- 1/4 cup fresh dillweed, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme -OR- 1tbsp fresh thyme
1 rounded tsp paprika
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)
Directions
Clean and prepare 8oz of boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut into 1” chunks. Next, add 1tbsp of olive to a frying pan and cook the chicken on medium-high heat until pieces are are golden brown. (The chicken doesn’t have to be completely cooked through as it will simmer and finish cooking in the main pot.) Remove from heat and set aside.
Melt 4tbsp of butter in a Dutch oven or stock pot on medium heat. Add 1 large, chopped onion and sauté until they begin to soften, but not brown. Add 1lb of sliced crimini (brown) mushrooms and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
To the mixture, add 2 tsp of dried dillweed, 1tsp dried thyme, 1 rounded tsp of paprika, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp of lemon juice to the mixture. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated and cook for ~2 more minutes.
Add 3 cups of chicken broth to the mixture. Next, add in the cooked chicken pieces. Simmer the mixture on low-medium heat.
While the soup is simmering, add 1 cup of whole milk to a small mixing bowl and whisk in 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour, being sure to remove any lumps.
While continuously whisking the milk mixture, slowly ladle a small portion of the broth into the bowl. Repeat this tempering step a few times to bring the milk mixture closer to the temperature of the broth. Once the milk mixture is tempered, whisk it one more time and then add the liquid back into the stock pot and stir until fully incorporated.
Continue simmering the soup on medium-low heat to thicken, but don’t bring to a boil. Simmer until the broth reaches your desired thickness.
Just prior to serving, add in 1/3 cup of sour cream and stir a final time.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley (or dill) and plate with focaccia or sour dough (and your favourite glass of wine).
Serve and enjoy!
