Chicken Chikhirtma

This national Georgian soup, chicken chikhirtma, is truly the king of all soups. Although it has very few ingredients, the main one being chicken, the result exceeds the boldest expectations. Incredibly tender, even silky, hearty broth with substantial pieces of meat is especially good after a hearty feast.

Yield: 6 servings (2.75 l).

Cooking time: 60 minutes.

Caloric content: 61 kcal per 100 grams of the dish.

Cuisine: Georgian.

Ingredients

• chicken - 1/2 carcass (700 g);
• onion - 250 g;
• eggs C 1 - 2 pcs;
• flour medium - 20 g;
• wine vinegar - 2 tbsp;
• butter 82% - 35 g;
• cilantro - bunch;
• rock salt - to taste;
• purified water - 2 l.

Preparation

1. Prepare the ingredients for making chicken chikhirtma.

2. Place the chicken in a pot. Pour regular tap water over it first.

3. When foam gathers on the surface, drain the water and rinse the carcass.

4. Place it back in the same pot and pour in 2 liters of water for the second time. Set on the stove.

5. In the meantime, prepare the onion for stewing by cutting it in half and chopping one part, while the other will go into the broth - it should be chopped coarsely. Separate the stems of the cilantro and tie them with string.

6. Just before boiling, a small amount of foam will start to form in the pot - remove it.

7. Add large pieces of onion and cilantro stems to the broth. Season the broth with salt, but not to the desired level yet.

8. After about 30-40 minutes, the chicken will be cooked - it needs to be removed. Pour off a little broth (400-500 ml) to cool - it will be needed to mix with the egg mass.

9. Remove the pot from the heat, and fish out the onion and cilantro, then discard them.

10. Chicken fat has accumulated on the surface of the broth. It needs to be collected and transferred to a heated pan.

11. When it boils, add the chopped onion. Sauté it, but not until it gains color, only until it becomes transparent.

12. Finally, add the butter.

13. Now you can add the flour.

14. Quickly rub it in, sautéing it together with the onion.

15. Directly from the pot, pour in a couple of ladles of broth and stir well.

16. A homogeneous mixture without a single lump of flour should be obtained. Remove the pan from the heat.

17. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs.

18. Pour in the vinegar and mix again.

19. Gradually start pouring in the reserved and cooled broth while simultaneously whisking the mixture.

20. A white and absolutely homogeneous mass should be obtained.

21. Remove the meat from the bones of the chicken.

22. Return the broth to the stove. As soon as the first bubble of boiling appears, season the broth with the sauce from the pan.

23. Stir the soup well with a whisk to prevent the flour mixture from clumping together.

24. There is no need to boil the mixture vigorously. As soon as it is about to boil, start adding the egg mixture in small portions. This is the most crucial moment, and you must not stop whisking for a moment, preventing lumps from forming.

25. The snow-white broth should now be seasoned with salt and the meat added.

26. Finely chop the cilantro.

27. Bring the soup just to a boil and remove from heat. Add the greens, then cover with a lid. Let it sit like this for 5 minutes.

28. Now the king of soups, chicken chikhirtma, has taken on a colorful hue and an extra aroma of cilantro. When serving in a bowl, first place a sufficient amount of meat, then pour in the tender broth. You can sprinkle pieces of dried paprika on top.

Enjoy, bon appétit!