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Rosół (Polish Chicken Noodle Soup)

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Course: Soup
Cuisine: Polish
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
No Polish topic generates more heated opinions than rosół. Every Pole believes their family makes the best version, and every Pole is ready to fight about it. I'm about to share my recipe, which means roughly 38 million people will disagree with at least one ingredient. I'm ready.
Kasia

Ingredients  

For the Broth
  • 1 whole chicken , or use a mix of thighs, drumsticks, wings, and backs about 3-4 lbs / 1.5-2 kg; bone-in, skin-on
  • 1 piece beef shank or marrow bone about ½ lb / 225g; optional but makes a huge difference
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
  • 1 large parsley root or parsnip, peeled
  • ½ small celeriac , peeled and quartered celery root; or 3 stalks of celery with leaves
  • 1 large leek, cleaned and halved
  • 1 medium onion, unpeeled, charred see instructions
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • A small piece of Savoy cabbage about ¼ head; optional but traditional in many families
  • 12-14 cups cold water 3-3.5 litres
Spices
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 5-6 allspice berries whole
  • 8-10 whole black peppercorns
  • Salt to taste start with 1 tablespoon, adjust at the end
Fresh Herbs (Added at the End)
  • Fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  • Fresh dill, chopped
  • Fresh lovage leaves if available this is the traditional rosół herb and adds a unique celery-like depth
For Serving
  • Fine egg noodles makaron nitki — angel hair or thin vermicelli
  • Cooked carrot slices from the broth
  • Pulled chicken meat from the broth

Method
 

Step 1 — Char the Onion
  1. Cut the unpeeled onion in half. Place it cut-side down directly on a gas burner flame, or under a broiler, until the cut surface is deeply blackened — almost burnt. This isn't a mistake. The charred sugars in the onion add golden colour and a subtle caramelised sweetness to the broth. It takes about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Step 2 — Build the Broth
  1. Place the chicken pieces and beef bone in a large stockpot. Cover with COLD water (starting with cold water extracts more flavour from the bones). Add 1 tablespoon of salt.
  2. Set over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer — NOT a rolling boil. This is the most important rule of rosół. Boiling makes it cloudy. You want lazy, slow bubbles barely breaking the surface.
  3. As the liquid heats, grey foam (scum) will form on the surface. Skim it off with a ladle or spoon. Keep skimming for the first 15-20 minutes. This is the single most important step for achieving a clear broth.
Step 3 — Add Vegetables and Simmer
  1. After about 45 minutes of simmering and skimming, add all the vegetables — carrots, parsley root, celeriac, leek, charred onion, garlic, and cabbage (if using). Add the bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns.
  2. Continue simmering gently, uncovered, for another 1.5-2 hours. Don't stir. Don't cover. Don't rush. The kitchen will smell like Sunday.
Step 4 — Strain and Season
  1. When the broth is deeply golden and fragrant, carefully remove the chicken and beef bone. Set aside the carrots and parsley root — you'll serve these sliced alongside the soup.
  2. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth for the clearest result. Taste and adjust the salt.
  3. Pull the chicken meat from the bones in large pieces. Discard the skin and bones.
Step 5 — Serve
  1. Cook the fine noodles separately according to package instructions. Place a small nest of noodles in each bowl. Ladle the hot, clear broth over the noodles. Add a few slices of cooked carrot and pieces of chicken. Top with fresh chopped parsley and dill.
  2. Serve immediately as a first course, followed by kotlet schabowy with potatoes — the classic Polish Sunday progression.