Ciorbă Rădăuțeană (Romanian Sour Chicken Ciorba Soup) is a light yet satisfying soup made with chicken, finely diced vegetables, small pasta, lemon juice, and fresh parsley. It’s straightforward to prepare, stretches ingredients well, and finishes bright and balanced without feeling heavy.
💡Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes prep, about 60 minutes cooking
- Cooking Method: Stove-top
- Dietary Info: Traditional, whole-food based
- Skill Level: Easy
This recipe follows traditional cooking principles that favor whole ingredients and slow flavor development.
What Ciorbă Rădăuțeană Is (and Why I Love It)
Ciorbă Rădăuțeană is a Romanian sour chicken soup. The term ciorbă denotes a sour-style soup, while Rădăuțeană comes from Rădăuți, a town in northern Romania where this style is popular.
The soup is designed to be bright, light, and nourishing rather than heavy. A gentle homemade broth and finely diced root vegetables make it easy to digest, which is why it’s commonly served during cooler months or when someone needs restorative, comforting food.
This version draws on a friend’s Romanian family tradition and has become a regular in my kitchen. It delivers a soothing broth, tender vegetables, and just enough pasta to make a filling bowl without weighing you down.
I often serve it with simple fresh-milled flour bread for dipping or pair it with uncomplicated baked goods when delivering a meal to someone in recovery. It’s a humble, practical soup with a long history that feels like care in a bowl.
Ingredients for Romanian Chicken Ciorba Soup
- Chicken thighs – Use skin-on, bone-in thighs (or drumsticks) so they create a flavorful broth as they cook. Avoid boneless, skinless cuts for this recipe.
- Aromatics: Bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, and sea salt to season the broth.
- Mirepoix: Onion, carrots, and celery (including the leaves) sautéed in avocado oil or another neutral oil form the soup base.
- Root vegetables: Parsnips and celeriac add depth and traditional flavor; celeriac is particularly characteristic of this soup.
- Bell peppers: Orange and green bell peppers add color and a hint of sweetness.
- Leuștean (lovage): Optional but traditional; if unavailable, plenty of celery leaves and parsley will keep the soup flavorful.
- Thin macaroni or vermicelli: Small, quick-cooking pasta makes the soup more filling. For a grain-free option, cooked spaghetti squash can be used instead.
- Fresh lemon juice and parsley: Added at the end for brightness and fresh herbal flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
- Creamy finish: Stir in tempered sour cream at the end for a richer, milder soup—mix a few tablespoons of hot broth into the sour cream first, then return it to the pot off heat.
- Egg-thickened: Whisk egg yolks with a bit of broth or sour cream and gently fold into the warm soup off heat for a silkier texture.
- Extra souring: Increase tang with small amounts of vinegar, more lemon juice, or borș (fermented wheat bran liquid) added toward the end to preserve its flavor.
Make it Ancestral
This soup aligns with traditional cooking by relying on whole ingredients and slow flavor development. Cooking skin-on, bone-in chicken in the pot creates a natural broth, and root vegetables break down until tender and nourishing. If you prefer to skip pasta, serve the soup with fresh bread and finish with lemon and herbs for brightness.
How to Make Ciorba Radauteana
The printable recipe follows below in the recipe card. These step-by-step notes will help you get the best result.
Step 1. Place chicken thighs, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt in a medium pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through, about 25–30 minutes.
Step 2. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Strain and reserve the broth. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones.
Step 3. While the chicken cooks and cools, finely dice onion, carrots, celery (with leaves), parsnips, and celeriac. Small, even pieces cook evenly and give the soup a smooth texture.
Step 4. Heat avocado oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced vegetables and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 8–10 minutes.
Step 5. Dice bell peppers and add them near the end of the sauté, cooking just until softened.
Step 6. Pour the strained broth into the pot with the vegetables and bring to a gentle boil.
Step 7. When the soup is boiling, add thin pasta or vermicelli and cook until al dente, following package directions.
Step 8. Return the shredded chicken to the pot to warm through. Taste and adjust salt. Add the juice of one lemon and plenty of chopped fresh parsley, stir, and remove from heat.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Simmer gently until just cooked, then remove it to keep the meat tender when shredded back into the soup.
- Dice vegetables finely: Small, consistent pieces cook evenly and create a mellow, easy-to-eat texture.
- Add pasta at the end: Thin pasta cooks quickly; add it once the soup is boiling and stop when it’s tender.
- Finish with lemon: Add lemon juice at the end to preserve its bright flavor—adding it earlier can reduce the brightness.
💭MealTrain Suggestion! This soup travels well and portions easily, so it’s ideal for bringing to someone in recovery. Let it cool slightly before packing in airtight jars or containers, leaving space at the top. If including pasta, pack it separately to prevent the soup from thickening during storage. Pair with fresh bread or muffins and include simple reheating instructions.
Serving Suggestions
Ciorbă Rădăuțeană is typically served hot as a main course with bread on the side and a garnish of fresh herbs. It’s meant to be a nourishing, standalone bowl—ideal for lunches, weeknight dinners, and meals for someone recovering from illness.
Serve with fresh-milled flour bread, rolls, or a simple no-knead loaf. If delivering the soup, include a baked good like muffins to round out the meal without extra effort.
When served as part of a larger menu, keep sides simple so they don’t compete with the soup—light salads or steamed vegetables work well. This soup reheats beautifully and can be made ahead for gatherings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or broth if the soup has thickened.
Yes. For best texture, freeze before adding pasta. Cool completely and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Curdling typically happens when dairy, egg, or acidic ingredients are heated too aggressively. If your version includes sour cream, eggs, or extra lemon, reheat gently over medium-low heat and avoid boiling to preserve texture.
Looking for related recipes? Try these soups and broths for more nourishing meals.
Sorrel Soup with Potatoes (Green Borscht)-
Easy Fish Soup (Ukha)
-
Borscht – Classic Beet Soup
-
Shurpa (Lamb and Vegetable Soup)
Did you make this Ciorbă Rădăuțeană? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and share a review. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Romanian Chicken Ciorba Recipe (Ciorba Radauteana)
Ingredients
For the Broth
- 1½ pounds chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 10–12 cups water
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 carrots, finely diced
- 3 celery ribs, finely diced (include leaves)
- 2 parsnips, peeled and finely diced
- 1 medium celeriac root, peeled and finely diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Leuștean (lovage), optional
- 2 cups thin macaroni or vermicelli
To Finish
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt to a medium pot. Cover with 10–12 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked, about 25–30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Strain and reserve the broth. When cool enough, remove the meat from the bones and discard skin and bones.
- While the chicken cooks, dice the onion, carrots, celery (including leaves), parsnips, and celeriac as finely as possible.
- Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, parsnips, and celeriac. Sauté until softened and aromatic, about 8–10 minutes.
- Add the diced bell peppers and cook another 2–3 minutes, just until softened. Stir in Leuștean if using.
- Pour the strained broth into the pot and bring to a gentle boil.
- Once boiling, add 2 cups thin macaroni or vermicelli and cook until al dente according to package directions.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot to warm through. Taste and adjust salt. Add the juice of 1 lemon and ¼ cup chopped parsley, stir, and remove from heat.
Notes
Storage: Cool slightly and transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate up to 5 days. If the soup contains pasta, it will continue to absorb liquid; loosen with water or broth when reheating. Freeze without pasta in airtight containers for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling if the soup includes lemon, eggs, or dairy to prevent separation.
Tips: Don’t overcook the chicken, dice vegetables finely for an even texture, add pasta at the end, and finish with lemon for brightness.