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Bowl of clear golden garlic chicken soup with shredded chicken, tender carrots, soft onion, whole soft garlic cloves and fresh dill, spoon beside

Garlic Chicken Soup

Garlic chicken soup made with a whole chicken, five heads of garlic and root vegetables. The whole cloves simmer until soft, sweet and mellow.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Eastern European
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken about 4 lb (1.8 kg)
  • 5 heads garlic about 50 cloves, peeled (or 2 cups pre-peeled cloves)
  • 4 carrots peeled, halved lengthwise, cut into 3-inch pieces
  • 2 large onions peeled and quartered
  • 1 small parsnip peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut into 3-inch pieces
  • 1/2 medium turnip peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley tied with the dill
  • 1/2 bunch fresh dill plus extra for serving
  • 12 cups cold water about 3 liters, enough to cover
  • 2 to 3 tsp kosher salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Place the chicken in a large stockpot, cover with cold water by about 1 inch and bring slowly to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Lower the heat and skim off the foam until the surface looks clear.
  3. Add the garlic cloves, onions, carrots, parsnip, turnip and 1 tsp salt, making sure everything is submerged.
  4. Partially cover and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, until a garlic clove crushes easily.
  5. Add the parsley and dill bundle and simmer 20 minutes more. The thickest part of the thigh should reach at least 165°F (74°C).
  6. Discard the herbs. Remove the chicken, discard skin and bones and shred the meat.
  7. Return the chicken to the pot, mash a few garlic cloves into the broth, season with salt and pepper and serve topped with fresh dill.

Notes

About the garlic: the viral version calls for 1,000 cloves; 5 heads (about 50 cloves) gives the same mellow, garlicky broth at a realistic scale. Keep the cloves whole so they turn sweet rather than sharp.
Make ahead: the soup tastes even better the next day. Chill overnight and lift off the fat for a clearer broth.
Storage: cool in shallow containers, refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
Serving ideas: add separately cooked noodles or rice to each bowl, or serve with crusty bread spread with the soft garlic cloves.
Nutrition is an estimate based on standard ingredient values (skin removed), not a laboratory analysis.