Rosół z Kluskami (Polish Chicken Soup with Noodles)

About This Recipe

Rosół is Poland's answer to chicken soup, a clear, deeply flavorful broth built from a whole chicken (or chicken pieces) simmered slowly for hours with root vegetables, leek and a bundle of fresh herbs, traditionally served as the first course of Sunday dinner. The broth's clarity and depth are the whole point — achieved through a long, gentle simmer that's never allowed to boil hard, which would cloud the liquid and make it greasy rather than clean-tasting. The technique that separates a properly made rosół from a mediocre one is skimming the surface diligently during the first 20-30 minutes of simmering, removing the grey foam that rises as the chicken releases impurities, which is what keeps the finished broth golden and clear rather than cloudy. Root vegetables — carrot, parsnip, celery root and leek — go in whole or in large pieces so they infuse the broth without breaking down and clouding it, then get strained out or served alongside as a garnish. Served with thin homemade egg noodles (kluski) or fine vermicelli, and a generous scatter of fresh dill, rosół remains the most traditional opening course of a Polish Sunday dinner, valued as much for its restorative, simple comfort as for its deep, patiently built flavor.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.5 kgwhole chicken(or bone-in chicken pieces)
• 3carrots(peeled, left whole)
• 1parsnip(peeled, left whole)
• 1 smallcelery root(peeled, quartered)
• 1leek(halved lengthwise)
• 1onion(halved, charred)
• 3bay leaves
• 6black peppercorns
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 3.5 literscold water
• 200 gthin egg noodles
• 0.33 cupfresh dill(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the broth

   Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a bare simmer slowly over medium-low heat.

2. 2

   Skim the foam

   As the water heats, skim off the grey foam that rises to the surface, continuing for the first 20-30 minutes.

   Diligent skimming is what keeps the broth clear and golden rather than cloudy — don't rush past this step.

3. 3

   Add the vegetables

   Once skimmed clean, add carrots, parsnip, celery root, leek, charred onion, bay leaves and peppercorns.

4. 4

   Simmer low and slow

   Simmer very gently, never at a rolling boil, for 2-2.5 hours until the broth is deeply flavorful and the chicken is falling off the bone.

5. 5

   Strain and season

   Strain the broth, discarding the solids or reserving the vegetables and shredded chicken meat for garnish. Season with salt.

6. 6

   Cook noodles and serve

   Cook egg noodles separately according to package directions. Divide noodles into bowls, ladle hot broth over, and scatter with fresh dill.

Variations

• •

  Add chicken feet or wings to the pot for an even richer, more gelatinous broth.

• •

  Use homemade thin egg noodle dough (kluski) instead of store-bought noodles for the most traditional version.

• •

  Serve with the shredded chicken and cooked vegetables added back into the bowl for a heartier meal.

Storage

Refrigerate the strained broth up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Store noodles separately and add fresh to each bowl when reheating, since they turn soft and mushy if stored in the broth.

Frequently Asked Questions