This chicken potato soup features tender chicken, hearty potatoes and simple vegetables cooked in a flavourful broth for a Polish-style meal. Satisfying and delicious, it's nourishing and easy to make using everyday ingredients.
This chicken and potato soup is made using bone-in chicken thighs, potatoes, vegetables and fresh herbs for a satisfying, yet light and nutritious meal. I made it using a classic combination of vegetables including onion, leek, celery root and carrots, popular ingredients in many traditional Polish soups (such as rosół and krupnik).
This Polish-style chicken and potato soup is satisfying, delicious and easy to make. I used a generous amount of chicken, which together with the vegetables produced a truly flavourful broth (without the need to add heavy cream or butter). The potatoes add bulk while the fresh parsley (essential in Polish cuisine) added at the end brings all the flavours together. It's a simple, cozy one-pot meal the whole family will love!
Chicken potato soup ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken: I used skinless chicken thighs, but you can use 1 chicken leg and 1 wing, or a few chicken drumsticks, instead. I recommend using bone-in chicken as it's got more flavour than boneless. Chicken breast does not make a good substitute (it lacks flavour and becomes dry if cooked for too long).
- Potatoes: use all-rounders, such as russets.
- Vegetables: including onion, leek, celery root, carrot and peas. I do not recommend omitting the celery root and using celery, instead. Your soup won't have the same depth of flavour.
- Herbs: I added dried thyme and a bay leaf into the soup as it cooked and fresh parsley at serving. You can also add a little tarragon.
- Chicken stock.
- Olive oil.
- Salt and pepper: mixed ground peppercorns work well in this recipe. Add to taste.
- Cornstarch/cornflour: this ingredient can be optional. See Instructions below.
step-by-step recipe instructions
1. Cook vegetables: Heat the oil, add the bay leaf, onion, leek and celery root and cook gently for about 3 minutes until softened, stirring often.
2. Add chicken: Add the chicken and stock, cover and bring to a boil then lower the heat and cook gently for 20 minutes.
3. Add potatoes: Add the potatoes, carrots, thyme and pepper to taste. Cover, bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 20-25 minutes until the chicken and vegetables are tender (larger chicken pieces might require longer cooking).
4. Chop chicken: Take the chicken out of the pot. Separate the meat from the bones and chop the chicken roughly. Set aside.
5. Thicken soup: In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with 2-3 tablespoons of hot water and stir until smooth. Pour the mixture into the broth and simmer for 3 minutes.
*This step can be optional.
6. Add chicken: Return the chicken to the pot, add the peas, fresh parsley and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, season to taste and serve.
*Scroll down to the bottom of the post for a full, printable list of ingredients and instructions.
Serving suggestions
I love to serve this hearty chicken potato and vegetable soup with a dollop of sour cream (a popular ingredient used in traditional Polish dishes) for a hint of acidity, and a generous amount of fresh parsley, which adds freshness. For a more substantial meal enjoy with sourdough or crusty bread.
Top tips
- Chicken: I used chicken thighs but you can use chicken legs/quarters (2 small or 1.5 large ones), drumsticks or wings, if you prefer. Chicken breast lacks the flavour of dark meat and becomes dry if cooked too long. I don't recommend using it, instead.
- Potatoes: Use all-rounders such as russets or Yukon Gold.
- Herbs: My favourite herb in most chicken soups is parsley. I used it as garnish in this recipe but you could also add a few sprigs into the soup as it's cooking.
- Cooking time: This will depend on the size of your chicken pieces and how finely you chopped your vegetables.
- Storing: Keep your chicken soup with potatoes refrigerated for up to 4 days. Add the sour cream (if using) at serving.
- Freeze for up to 3 months (without the sour cream).
More chicken and potato recipes
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Potato Bake (Healthy)
- Sauerkraut Casserole with Chicken
- Polish Chicken Meatball Soup
See also this collection of easy chicken recipes as well as authentic Polish dishes.
Recipe
Polish-Style Chicken and Potato Soup
Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 3 chicken thighs skinless, bone-in
- 1â…“ pounds (600 g) potatoes peeled, cubed
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ½ medium leek trimmed, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons celery root/celeriac peeled, coarsely grated
- 2 medium carrots peeled, finely diced
- â…” cup (100 g) petits pois/peas frozen
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 cups (1,200 ml) chicken stock hot
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch plus 2-3 tbsp of hot water
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook vegetables: Heat the oil, add the bay leaf, onion, leek and celery root and cook gently for about 3 minutes until softened, stirring often.
- Add chicken: Add the chicken and stock, cover and bring to a boil then lower the heat and cook gently for 20 minutes.
- Add potatoes: Add the potatoes, carrots, thyme and pepper to taste. Cover, bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 20-25 minutes until the chicken and vegetables are tender (larger chicken pieces might require longer cooking).Â
- Chop chicken: Take the chicken out of the pot. Separate the meat from the bones and chop the chicken roughly. Set aside.
- Thicken soup: In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with 2-3 tablespoons of hot water and stir until smooth. Pour the mixture into the broth and simmer for 3 minutes. *This step can be optional.
- Add chicken: Return the chicken to the pot, add the peas, fresh parsley and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, season to taste and serve.
Notes
- Chicken: I used chicken thighs but you can use chicken legs/quarters (2 small or 1.5 large ones), drumsticks or wings, if you prefer. Chicken breast lacks the flavour of dark meat and becomes dry if cooked too long. I don't recommend using it, instead.
- Potatoes: Use all-rounders such as russets or Yukon Gold.
- Herbs: My favourite herb in most chicken soups is parsley. I used it as garnish in this recipe but you could also add a few sprigs into the soup as it's cooking.Â
- Cooking time: This will depend on the size of your chicken pieces and how finely you chopped your vegetables.
- Storing: Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. Add the sour cream (if using) at serving.
- Freeze for up to 3 months (without the sour cream).
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch!
If you make my Polish-inspired chicken potato soup recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Kristen says
I think you mean corn starch, not flour
Monika says
Corn starch is called corn flour in the UK. Same product.
Zuzana says
I didn’t use celery, peas and cornflour, but it is still delicious! Thank you
Monika says
Great to know!
Fiona says
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! This is the first soup I have made and the result was amazing! Had everything but peas. Still doesn't take away from the amazing flavour! Just made some and had a bowl. Yum!!!!
Thanks x
Monika says
You are welcome, glad you liked it. Thank you for letting me know:)
Garry Watts says
Enjoyed putting the veggies together added turnip and parsnip
Used Chicken thighs and followed instructions
The best soup i have had Thanks
Monika says
Really glad you liked the recipe and thanks for the feedback:)
Eb says
This looks so simple, but so so good! A perfect midweek meal 😀 Eb x
Monika says
🙂