Polish krupnik: hearty chicken and barley soup that makes a meal on its own

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Make the broth

   45 min

   Place the chicken thighs in a pot with 2 l cold water. Add the halved onion, bay leaves, and allspice, season with salt, and slowly bring to a boil. Skim off the foam and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.

2. Rinse the barley

   5 min

   Meanwhile, rinse the barley in a strainer under cold running water until the water runs clear.

3. Add the barley and vegetables

   25 min

   Remove the chicken thighs and onion. Add the barley and finely diced carrots, parsley root, and celery root to the broth and cook for 15 minutes.

4. Add the potatoes

   15 min

   Peel and dice the potatoes, then add them to the soup. Cook for 12–15 minutes, until both the potatoes and barley are tender. Meanwhile, remove the chicken meat from the bones and chop it.

5. Finish and season

   5 min

   Return the chicken to the soup, add the butter, season with salt and pepper, and remove the bay leaves. Serve sprinkled with dill.

Tip: The soup thickens as it stands because the barley continues to absorb broth. Thin it with a little water or broth when reheating.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Hustý poľský krupnik s jačmennými krúpami: kuracia polievka, ktorá zasýti aj bez druhého chodu