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Pea soup with chicken (classic recipe)
Instructions
Thoroughly rinse all the vegetables and greens under running tap water. Peel the onion, remove the seeds from the bell pepper. Peel the carrot. We will use chicken fillet in our work, and two pieces will be just enough.
Wash the dry peas until the water is clear. Place them in a thick-bottomed pot of suitable volume (we have 2.5 liters). Pour in filtered water. Set to boil, adjusting the heat level between medium and minimum.
Rinse the chicken meat thoroughly under running water. Cut into convenient pieces, they can be absolutely arbitrary.
Add to the boiling contents of the pot. Add salt.
Finely chop the carrot (for example, into sticks), and chop the onion into small cubes.
Chop the bell pepper randomly for proper finished color and flavor.
Cut the celery into cubes. Note that this ingredient is not mandatory, but it beautifully highlights and harmoniously emphasizes the taste, you will definitely notice it in the final dish.
In a comfortable frying pan, heat the necessary amount of vegetable oil, add all the chopped vegetables. Leave to sauté until soft for about 10-15 minutes.
Peel the potatoes. Cut into small cubes with a sharp knife.
Add the potatoes to the pot.
Everything cooks together for about 45 minutes (this is the optimal cooking time if the peas were not soaked beforehand). Then we will add the sautéed vegetables and let the soup cook for another 10 minutes.
Pea soup with chicken according to the classic recipe is ready, and we will immediately pour it into deep plates. We will sprinkle the hot surface of the soup with finely chopped greens. Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Use quality fresh-harvest peas for the best finished tender results. Old or stale peas produce hard inferior results even after long cooking; fresh-harvest peas produce the proper signature tender character authentic to traditional Russian pea-soup preparations. Check pea quality by appearance — fresh peas have smooth shiny skin without wrinkles. The pea quality matters more than home cooks typically realize for finished soup quality and overall family-meal success consistently across batches reliably across various Russian cooking occasions throughout the year for proper traditional results.
- 2
Use chicken fillet (not smoked meat) for proper finished dietary character. Smoked meats produce calorie-dense traditional results; chicken fillet produces the proper signature lean dietary character authentic to dietary pea-soup preparations. The same lean-meat principle elevates many dietary soup preparations including diet beef and pasta soup and similar lean-meat soup preparations across various traditional Russian culinary occasions throughout the year reliably.
- 3
Add sautéed vegetables only at the end (last 10 minutes) for finished proper texture preservation. Adding vegetables too early produces overcooked mushy results; properly end-added sautéed vegetables produce the proper signature tender-crisp character authentic to traditional Russian pea-soup preparations. The patient timing principle pays back significantly in finished soup-quality consistently across batches and various Russian first-course preparations throughout the year for proper traditional results worth showcasing reliably across various Slavic family-meal occasions throughout the year.
- 4
Pair the finished pea soup with traditional Russian accompaniments for proper presentation. Garnish with fresh green onion, basil sprig, dollop of sour cream, alongside garlic croutons, with sandwiches, or with rye bread for proper finished family-meal applications. Pair with crusty homemade bread for substantial dinner spreads, alongside pickled vegetables for traditional Russian accompaniment, or with hot tea for elegant Russian-style family dinner presentations worth showcasing.
FAQ
Can I use other meat? +
Yes, smoked chicken, smoked ribs, beef, ham, or sausage all work as substitutes producing distinct character. Each meat produces distinct character: chicken fillet is leanest and most dietary, smoked chicken adds smoky depth, smoked ribs are most traditional, beef is richest, ham is most universally appealing. Choose based on dietary preferences for proper finished pea-soup variations consistently throughout the year reliably for proper personalized finished results across various Russian-style culinary occasions.
How long does pea soup keep? +
Stored covered in the refrigerator, the soup keeps for 4-5 days at peak quality. The flavors actually improve significantly over the first 24-48 hours as components meld together beautifully. Reheat gently with splash of water as peas continue to thicken. The soup freezes well for up to 3 months — thaw in refrigerator overnight before reheating. Best consumed within 4 days for the brightest most appealing finished results across multiple meal applications throughout the year reliably.
Can I pre-soak peas? +
Yes, pre-soaking peas reduces cooking time significantly. Pre-soak peas in cold water for 6-8 hours (or overnight) for fastest cooking. Each option produces distinct character: unsoaked peas need 45-60 minutes cooking, pre-soaked peas need only 25-30 minutes. Choose based on time available for proper finished pea variations consistently throughout the year reliably. Pre-soaking also reduces gas-forming compounds for gentler digestion.
Why are my peas not cooking? +
Three usual causes: old peas (use fresh-harvest), hard water (use filtered), or insufficient cooking time. Address proper ingredient quality, soft water, and adequate timing (45-60 min unsoaked; 25-30 min pre-soaked). The combination of fresh peas, soft water, and patient cooking produces dramatic tender-quality reliably across various Russian pea-soup preparation sessions throughout the year for proper traditional results consistently.
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