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Hønsekødssuppe (Danish Chicken Soup)

The Quirky Foodster Team

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (0)
20 min
Prep
2 hr
Cook

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken or boiling hen (about 1.5 kg / 3.3 lb)
  • 2.5 l (10 cups) water
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 1/2 celeriac, diced
  • 1 onion, halved
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 100 g (3/4 cup) flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 50 g (3 1/2 tbsp) butter, melted

Method

  1. Place the chicken in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil, skimming any foam.
  2. Add the onion and bay leaves, reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours until the chicken is very tender.
  3. Remove the chicken, strain the broth, and discard the onion and bay leaves.
  4. Return the broth to the pot with the carrots, leek and celeriac, and simmer 15-20 minutes until tender.
  5. For the melboller, whisk together flour, eggs and melted butter to a smooth batter, then drop small teaspoons into the simmering soup and cook 5 minutes until they float.
  6. Shred some of the chicken meat back into the soup, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Introduction: This clear, restorative chicken broth studded with vegetables and tiny dumplings called melboller is a beloved Sunday dinner starter in Denmark, often made from a whole boiling hen simmered low and slow to extract maximum flavour.

Cultural Background: This clear, restorative chicken broth studded with vegetables and tiny dumplings called melboller is a beloved Sunday dinner starter in Denmark, often made from a whole boiling hen simmered low and slow to extract maximum flavour.

Tips: Simmer the broth very gently rather than boiling hard, which keeps it clear rather than cloudy. Save the remaining chicken meat for smørrebrød or a salad the next day.

Variations: Add a handful of chopped parsley just before serving for freshness. Some households add thin egg noodles instead of melboller. A rich vegetable stock with the same root vegetables and melboller dumplings can approximate the dish, though it departs from the traditional chicken-based recipe.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze the broth (without dumplings) for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop; add fresh dumplings if reheating from frozen broth.

Nutrition: Approx. 320 kcal, 26g protein, 12g fat, 24g carbohydrates per serving.

FAQs

Q: What are melboller?
A: They are small, dense flour-and-egg dumplings traditionally poached directly in the soup broth.

Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of a whole bird?
A: Yes, though a whole bird gives a richer, more traditional broth flavour.

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