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Rassolnik with Rice and Pickles: Russian Chicken Soup
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water is almost clear, then drain it. Peel the potatoes, onions and carrots. Cut the fermented pickles into small dice and strain the brine.
Make the chicken stock. Put the thighs in a pot with 2.5 litres cold water, half an onion, the bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer gently for 35-40 minutes. Remove the chicken and onion and strain the stock if necessary.
Cook the vegetable base. Finely dice the remaining onion and grate the carrots coarsely. Heat the oil and cook the vegetables over medium heat for 7-8 minutes until soft without deep browning.
Soften the pickles. Put the diced fermented pickles in a small frying pan, add 100 ml chicken stock and cover. Simmer for 8-10 minutes so their flavour mellows and their texture becomes tender.
Cook the potatoes and rice. Cut the potatoes into 1.5 cm cubes and add them to the boiling stock. After 5 minutes, add the rinsed rice. Simmer for another 10-12 minutes until both are tender.
Combine the soup. Remove the chicken from the bones and pull it into small pieces. Add the softened onions and carrots, pickles and chicken to the pot. Pour in 150 ml strained pickle brine and simmer gently for 7-8 minutes.
Balance the flavour. Add the minced garlic, ground pepper and dill. Taste and add the remaining brine if needed. Only then decide whether the soup requires salt. Remove the bay leaves and rest under a lid for 10 minutes.
Which rice is best for rassolnik
Regular long-grain rice is the easiest choice. It holds its shape and thickens the stock less. Short-grain rice also works but produces a more viscous soup. Parboiled rice stays separate and may need a few extra minutes.
Rinse the grains until the water is almost clear. This removes surface starch and prevents a brothy soup from turning into thick rice porridge.
Fermented pickles or vinegar pickles
Brine-fermented pickles and their clean brine provide the characteristic flavour. Vinegar pickles often contain sugar and produce a sharper, less rounded acidity.
If vinegar pickles are the only option, use them without the jar liquid. Taste the finished soup before adding acidity and thin it with hot chicken stock if necessary.
Why the pickles go in after the potatoes
An acidic liquid slows potato softening. If the pickles and brine go in too early, the potato cubes can remain firm for a long time. Cook the potatoes and rice completely before adding the acidic ingredients for the final 7-8 minutes.
How this differs from Leningrad rassolnik
This version uses chicken and rice and takes about 90 minutes. Leningrad rassolnik uses beef stock and pearl barley, which is best soaked and cooked separately. The two recipes serve distinct cooking and search intents.
The site also has chicken pickle soup with barley. Choose the current rice version when you want the faster method without soaking grain.
How to balance acidity and salt
- Add brine in stages. Start with 150 ml and taste before using the remainder.
- Leave salt until the end. The pickles, brine and prepared stock may already contain plenty.
- If the soup is too sour. Add 100-150 ml hot unsalted stock and warm through.
- If the flavour is weak. Add brine 1 tablespoon at a time and taste after each addition.
Common mistakes
- Not rinsing the rice. The stock becomes cloudy and overly thick.
- Adding brine before the potatoes are tender. The cubes can remain firm.
- Salting the stock early. The pickles and brine can then make the soup too salty.
- Boiling the chicken aggressively. The stock clouds and the meat becomes dry.
- Using too much rice. The grains continue absorbing stock during storage.
Serving and storage
Rest the soup briefly, then serve it with sour cream, dill and rye bread. It thickens by the next day, so add a little water or unsalted stock when reheating if necessary.
Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate in a covered container at 4 C or below for up to 3 days. Freezing is best without potatoes because their texture changes after thawing.
How this recipe was checked
The recipe fixes the dry rice weight, potato cube size, gentle stock simmer and the point at which the acidic ingredients are added. The target result is rice that is tender but separate, potatoes that yield to a fork and a balanced sour flavour without excessive salt.
Recipe video: Rassolnik with rice and pickles
Important: The video shows a closely related home-style method. Use the quantities and ingredient order in this article.
Images are AI-generated visual guides for the cooking steps.
FAQ
How much rice is needed for 3 litres of rassolnik? +
Use 70-90 g dry rice. A larger amount noticeably thickens the soup after cooking and especially during storage.
When should rice be added to rassolnik? +
Add the rinsed rice 5 minutes after the potatoes. Simmer them together for another 10-12 minutes until tender.
Does the rice need to be cooked separately? +
No. Well-rinsed rice can cook directly in the chicken stock. Separate cooking is useful only for very starchy rice or an exceptionally clear soup.
Can vinegar pickles be used? +
Yes, but the flavour will be sharper. Use the pickles without their marinade and balance the acidity of the finished soup separately.
How much pickle brine should be added? +
For this pot, 150-200 ml is usually sufficient. The exact quantity depends on the saltiness and acidity of your brine.
Why are the potatoes still firm? +
The pickles or brine were probably added too early. Acid slows potato softening, so add acidic ingredients only after the potatoes are tender.
Can rassolnik be made without meat? +
Yes. Use vegetable stock, increase the carrots and add celeriac. The order for the rice, potatoes and pickles remains the same.
How long does rassolnik with rice keep? +
Refrigerate it in a covered container at 4 C or below for up to 3 days. The rice gradually absorbs stock, so reheat only the portion required.
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