avg —
Chikhirtma from Chicken
Instructions
I prepare ingredients for chicken chikhirtma.
Place chicken in pot. Pour regular tap water FIRST.
When foam gathers on surface: drain water; rinse carcass.
Place chicken back in same pot; pour 2 L water for SECOND time. Set on stove.
Meanwhile prepare onion: cut in half + chop ONE part finely. Other half goes into broth — chop COARSELY. Separate cilantro stems; tie with string.
Just before boiling: small amount of foam will form — REMOVE it.
Add LARGE pieces of onion + cilantro stems to broth. Salt broth — but not to final desired level yet.
After 30-40 minutes: chicken is cooked — remove it. Pour off 400-500 ml broth to COOL (will be needed to mix with egg mass).
Remove pot from heat; fish out onion + cilantro; DISCARD them.
Chicken FAT has accumulated on broth surface. Collect it; transfer to heated pan.
When fat boils: add CHOPPED onion. Sauté — but not until colored, only until TRANSPARENT.
Finally: add BUTTER.
Now add FLOUR.
Quickly RUB IN, sautéing together with onion.
Directly from pot: pour couple ladles of broth; STIR WELL.
Result: homogeneous mixture WITHOUT a single flour lump. Remove pan from heat.
In mixing bowl: WHISK eggs.
Pour in VINEGAR; mix again.
Gradually pour in COOLED reserved broth while continuously whisking.
Final result: WHITE + absolutely homogeneous mass.
Remove meat from chicken bones.
Return broth to stove. As soon as first boil bubble appears: SEASON broth with sauce from pan.
Stir soup well with whisk to prevent flour mixture clumping.
NO need to boil vigorously. As soon as about to boil: start adding egg mixture in SMALL PORTIONS. CRITICAL MOMENT — must NOT stop whisking for a moment, prevents lumps.
Snow-white broth: NOW season with salt + add MEAT.
Finely chop CILANTRO.
Bring soup just to boil; remove from heat. Add HERBS; cover with lid. REST 5 minutes.
The king of soups — chicken chikhirtma — has taken on colorful hue + extra cilantro aroma. SERVING: first place sufficient amount of meat in bowl; pour tender broth on top. Sprinkle dried PAPRIKA pieces on top. Bon appétit!
Tips
- 1
THE TWO-STAGE WATER TECHNIQUE. Steps 2-4's "first water → drain → second water" is broth-clarity essential. First water (briefly heated): extracts surface impurities + initial blood + chicken-skin-residue. DRAIN this water; rinse chicken; refill clean water for actual broth-making. SECOND-water broth: cleaner + more transparent, no gray scum issues, signature SNOW-WHITE chikhirtma color. Skipping first stage: broth turns gray-brown + cloudy + "off" tasting. Same two-stage technique: French clarified consommé, traditional Russian holodets gel-broth. The 30-second initial blanch is calibrated.
- 2
THE EGG-VINEGAR TEMPERING IS DEFINING. Steps 17-24's egg-vinegar tempering is what makes chikhirtma chikhirtma. Plain egg-yolk tempering (Avgolemono-style Greek): smooth + lemon-bright. CHIKHIRTMA EGG-VINEGAR tempering: smooth + WINE-vinegar tang, distinctive Georgian character. The cooled-broth + slow-whisk + small-portions sequence prevents egg curdling. Same egg-tempering family: Greek avgolemono, Italian stracciatella, Ukrainian zatirka. The 2 tbsp vinegar quantity is calibrated — more produces too sharp, less loses character. For another classic Georgian soup worth comparing, see Kharcho Classic.
- 3
THE CHICKEN-FAT-AS-COOKING-MEDIUM. Step 10's "collect chicken fat from broth surface for sautéing" is genuine traditional technique often skipped by modern cooks. Plain butter sauté: fine, lighter result. CHICKEN-FAT + butter combination: profound chicken-flavor concentration in finished soup, traditional Georgian character. The fat is recovered from your own broth — zero waste. Skim 30-50 ml fat from broth surface with spoon. Same fat-rendering technique: French confit, Italian guanciale, Spanish chicken-rendering. Don't be afraid of using it — adds depth without heaviness.
- 4
THE COVERED-REST FINISHING. Step 27's "rest 5 minutes covered" is technique-essential. Just-finished chikhirtma: cilantro freshness, slightly raw aroma. After 5-min REST: cilantro releases full essential oils, soup achieves harmonious character, broth slightly thickens to silky consistency. Don't skip rest — chikhirtma is CALIBRATED for this finishing step. The covered-pot keeps temperature high without continued cooking. Same flavor-integration principle: Italian risotto al onda rest, Indian dal final-tempering. For another classic Georgian dish to pair with chikhirtma worth trying, try Imeretian Khachapuri.
FAQ
What does chikhirtma taste like? +
Distinctive Georgian flavor profile combining: SILKY chicken broth (rich + concentrated), TANGY wine-vinegar undertone (signature character), CREAMY-SMOOTH thickness (egg + flour tempering), AROMATIC cilantro (essential herb), UNDERLYING butter richness. Compared to other chicken soups: not as lemon-bright as Greek avgolemono, not as spicy as Asian variations, not as salty as Russian-Soviet preparations. Chikhirtma is gentle + soothing + complex. Traditional consumption: post-banquet (settles digestion after rich Georgian feasts). Modern eaters: comfort-food perfection on cold days.
Can I substitute the wine vinegar? +
Several options work with character changes. WINE VINEGAR (recipe-canonical): traditional Georgian, balanced acidity. APPLE VINEGAR: fruitier character, slightly more accessible. WHITE WINE: 4 tbsp instead of 2 vinegar (less acidic, more aromatic — restaurant-style version). LEMON JUICE: 3 tbsp (brighter + more citrusy — Avgolemono-Georgian fusion). RICE VINEGAR: too mild (lacks needed sharpness). The wine-vinegar character is recipe-defining for true chikhirtma. Use 6% strength (standard cooking vinegar) — stronger vinegar requires reduction by half.
How long does it keep? +
Refrigerated covered: 3 days at peak quality. Day 1: peak silky-smooth texture. Day 2-3: still excellent — vinegar-tang mellows, broth concentrates. After day 3: egg components begin to break down. Reheating: gentle stovetop warm 5-7 min (don't boil hard — egg can curdle on reheat), microwave 2-3 min individual servings. FREEZER: NOT recommended (egg-tempered soups separate on thaw). Pro-tip: make day-of-serving — chikhirtma is genuinely fresh-prep dish + only takes 60 minutes total. Day-after lunch: still wonderful but make smaller batches.
What sides go best? +
Georgian tradition has classic chikhirtma companions. CLASSIC: tonis puri (Georgian flatbread) — perfect for dipping in tender broth. BREAD ALTERNATIVES: lavash, simple white bread, Borodinsky rye. SHARP CONDIMENTS: tkemali (sour-plum sauce), adjika (pepper paste), pickled jonjoli. FRESH: extra cilantro + basil sprigs alongside, sliced cucumber-tomato salad. BANQUET-FOLLOW-UP context: chikhirtma typically follows chashushuli, ojakhuri, mtsvadi (heavy meat dishes) — clears palate + soothes stomach. DRINKS: light Georgian wine, tea. Don't add heavy sides — chikhirtma's gentle character should shine.
- Comment
or post as a guest
Be the first to comment.
