Chicken a la Grec Soup is a traditional Romanian ciorba, delicious and perfect to warm you up on a cold winter’s day. This recipe is very easy to make, ready in just a little over half an hour. It combines the tender chicken and vegetables with the slight sourness from the lemon, eggs and sour cream dressing. The texture of this soup is very creamy, and it has a delicate sour taste compared to other Romanian ciorba because it is dressed with lemon instead of bors.
Chicken a la Grec Soup recipe is a classic in Romanian cuisine, and it is inspired from the Greek “avgolemono”, which was usually made with lamb meat. This is where the name of the soup comes from as well, as “a la Grec” translates as “Greek style”.
Ingredients for this Romanian Chicken a la Grec Soup
You don’t need many ingredients to make this tasty Chicken a la Grec Soup. You can use any part of the chicken that has bones, just not breast as it dries very quickly and it’s not suitable for this recipe. If you buy a whole chicken, use the back, the wings, and the legs.
When it comes to what vegetables you can use to make this soup, I like to use onions, carrots, and celery. You can also add other root vegetables such as parsnips or turnips, but I am not a fan of them so I leave them out.
This is a dressed soup, so you will also need egg yolks, sour cream and lemon juice. When it comes to the herbs in this soup, I think dill works the best, but you can also use parsley if you prefer the taste.
How to Make the Romanian Chicken a la Grec Soup
Making the Romanian Chicken a la Grec Soup is pretty straightforward. Firstly, you have to make the stock by boiling the meat in a pot of water. I used 1.5 liters of water for 500 grams of chicken. Once the water starts boiling, you will notice that a foam is forming on the top. Carefully scoop away the foam, so that the soup is clear and not cloudy when it’s finished.
Once the soup stops foaming, it’s time to add the vegetables to the pot. Let them boil for 15 minutes, until cooked through. Meanwhile, make the dressing for the soup by mixing the sour cream with two egg yolks, and then adding the fresh lemon juice.
Then, after 15 minutes have passed, remove the meat out and carefully remove the bones.
Dressing the soup is the most important step of making this chicken a la Grec soup. You can’t just pour it into the boiling soup, as it will split. Make sure you are using a big enough bowl. Turn the heat off and let the soup cool down for 5 minutes. Then, take a ladle of soup and pour it over the sour cream mix, whilst mixing continuously, as it cools it down. Repeat the same process 5 or 6 times, until the sour cream liquid comes to the same temperature as the soup. Then you can pour into the soup.
Decorate with chopped parsley or dill, and serve hot.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- It isn’t imperative to debone the chicken meat after it’s cooked, but it does makes it easier to eat once you serve the soup.
- Make sure you temper the dressing by adding hot liquid, ladle by ladle, whilst you mix it fast with a whisk. Because the dressing contains eggs, you don’t want to cook them and end up with scrambled eggs instead of a creamy, delicious soup.
- This soup needs to be eaten within 2 days to be at its best, so cook it on the day you want to eat it.
Romanian Chicken a la Grec Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 gr chicken with bones
- 1 onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 50 gr rice
- 150 gr sour cream At least 18% fat
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 juice from one lemon
- dill or parsley to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a pot with 1.5 liters of water and bring to boil.
- Once the water starts boiling, you will notice a foam forming on top. Carefully remove.
- When the foam doesn’t form anymore, add the onion, carrots and celery in the soup. Meanwhile, wash the rice and let it soak.
- After 15 minutes, add the rice and take the chicken out to debone the meat. Shred the meat and put it back in the soup. Add salt to taste. Turn the heat off and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the sour cream with the egg yolks and the lemon juice in a big bowl.
- After the five minutes have passed, take a ladle of soup and pour it over, whilst whisking the liquid fast. Repeat until the sour cream mixture comes at the same temperature as the soup. Then pour the sour cream mixture over the soup.
- Taste to make sure it’s sour enough for you. If it’s not, add some more lemon juice.
- Add chopped dill or parsley and serve hot.
FAQ
Can you make the Romanian Chicken a la Grec Soup in advance?
I would recommend making the chicken a la Grec soup on the day you want to eat it. Because it contains eggs, it doesn’t last for a long time in the fridge.
How do you store Romanian Chicken a la Grec Soup?
You can store the Romanian Chicken a la Grec soup for a maximum of 3 days in the fridge. Transfer it to a Tupperware container and store it in the fridge, sealed with a lid.
How to reheat the Romanian Chicken a la Grec Soup?
Reheating the chicken a la Grec Soup is a bit tricky. Don’t put the soup in the microwave, as it will split. Heat it in a small pot, on the stove, over a low heat stirring continuously, and don’t let it boil, this will prevent the soup from splitting.
For more traditional Romanian soups check out the below:
How to Make Romanian Chicken Noodle Soup
How to Make Romanian Meatball Soup
How to Make Romanian Easter Lamb Soup
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Hi Joanna,
The Greek connection is a Jewish Greek soup that is usually made with lamb in a sauce called Avgolemono which is an emulsion of eggs, lemon and stock to give a creamy texture without using dairy products which is forbidden with meat in the Jewish food laws of Kashrut. (I had a very dear Jewish friend (born in Poland but came to the UK in the early 1980’s) who is sadly not with us anymore). The addition of cream, soured or sweet is a Christian or non Jewish version which I love even more than the original! I have no such religious ties.
This Chicken recipe is on my “to do” list!
I’ll let you know how it goes.
Paul:-)
Hi Paul, I am looking forward to hearing how you liked it. 🙂
Multumim de reteta! It looks amazing
Cu placere 🙂