Chicken borscht

Borscht is a traditional Eastern European beetroot soup, popular in Ukraine, Russia and Poland. Usually made with meat, vegetables and other seasonings, it is often served with dill, a dollop of sour cream and bread for dipping into the hearty soup. This chicken version is inspired by Yurii Chuchenko’s grandmother’s borscht.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

Taste of Tradition

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 500 g chicken drumsticks
• 4 ½ cups chicken stock (or water)
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, shredded or thinly julienned
• 2 large beets, roughly grated
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice, to taste
• 1 cup fresh beetroot juice
• 2 ½ tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup shredded white (or red) cabbage
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled, roughly chopped
• Salt, black pepper and sugar, for seasoning
• Roughly chopped dill, sour cream, sliced rye bread, to serve

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken, chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to the boil over medium heat, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove the chicken from the pot and allow to cool, reserving the broth.
   
2. Heat the oil in a second large saucepan, then add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes, or until the onion softens. Add the carrot, 1/3 grated beets, lemon juice and cook, stirring occasionally for a further 5-7 minutes.
   
3. Shred the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the bones. Add the remaining beetroot, beet juice, tomato paste, smoked paprika, reserved chicken broth, cabbage, potato and shredded chicken to the soup, stirring well to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste, adding salt, pepper, sugar or lemon juice to taste to your preference.
   
4. Divide the chicken borscht between bowls and serve with sour cream, dill and rye bread.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

Want more from The Cook Up? Stream all the seasons here and for free at SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Taste of Tradition

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G