Polish chicken meatball soup is deliciously comforting and surprisingly easy to make. It requires a handful of ingredients and only about 30 minutes of your time. Satisfying, cosy and nutritious!
See also my recipe for traditional Polish meatballs in sauce!
Chicken meatball soup is called ‘zupa z klopsikami’ (pronounced ‘klop-shi-kha-my’) in Polish. It’s filling, healthy and made using simple vegetables (including carrot, potato and celery root) popular in many Polish soup recipes (such as dill pickle and sauerkraut).
It contains dill and parsley, the 2 most used herbs in Polish cuisine, and comes with a dollop of sour cream, essential in everyday cooking in Poland.
The 4-ingredient chicken meatballs are made just like any other meatballs – by combining all the ingredients and forming balls (see also chicken meatballs in leek sauce). The only difference is that chicken meatballs for soup should be quite small (the size of a walnut). Bite size meatballs are easier to eat in a soup and do not overpower the other ingredients.
Chicken meatball soup ingredients and substitutions
For the chicken meatballs
- Ground chicken: this recipe also works with ground turkey and pork.
- Stale bun: or English muffin/breakfast muffin.
- Onion granules.
- Salt and pepper.
- Dill: or parsley (optional)
For the soup
- Vegetables: These include onion, carrot, leek, celeriac/celery root and potatoes (see my tips below for using rice or pasta instead of the potatoes).
- Chicken stock: you can use Polish rosol, another chicken broth recipe or stock cubes (1.5) instead if preferred.
- Dill and parsley.
- Salt and pepper.
- Oil: vegetable or olive.
- Sour cream: 18% or less. Alternatively use crème fraiche.
Can you cook chicken meatballs in soup
Yes, you can! In fact, you should cook meatballs in soup as this infuses them with flavour. There are really 2 ways of doing this: you can either cook them from raw or by browning the meatballs quickly first for added colour and flavour. I chose the second method then added the meatballs into the soup to finish cooking.
If you decide to add raw chicken meatballs into the soup increase cooking time by about 2 minutes.
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1.Place the bun in a small bowl, cover with cold water and set aside to soak for a few minutes. Squeeze out excess water (do this very thoroughly) so that you are left with a mushy lump of bread.
2. Combine the ground chicken with the bun, onion granules, salt, a few grindings of pepper and dill (optionally). Working with your hands mix the ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.
3. Form walnut-size meatballs (rub a little oil on your hands to prevent the meat sticking to them). You should have about 25 meatballs.
4. In a large non-stick pan heat about 2 teaspoons of oil and fry the meatballs over a medium heat for about 2 minutes just until lightly browned turning them over several times. They will finish cooking in the soup. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
5. In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the onion and leek and fry gently for 3 minutes until softened stirring often.
6. Add the cubed potatoes, grated carrot and celeriac, most of the stock, cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Drop the meatballs into the soup, add more stock, if needed, cover, bring to the boil again then simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked.
8. Remove from the heat and stir in the dill and parsley.
9. In a bowl combine the sour cream with a few tablespoons of the soup then slowly pour this mixture back into the soup. Season to taste and enjoy your chicken meatball soup!
Serving suggestions
In Poland this soup with chicken meatballs is typically served either on its own or with rye or sourdough bread. It’s equally delicious with or without the sour cream so this ingredient can be optional.
Using pasta or rice instead of potatoes
- Pasta
Cook the soup as per Instructions omitting the potatoes. Serve individual portions with 2-3 tablespoons of cooked pasta (do not cook the pasta in the soup as it will become soggy). Use vermicelli or other small soup pasta shapes.
- Rice
Cook the soup as per Instructions omitting the potatoes and add 4 tablespoons of risotto-style short grain rice into the pot along with the carrot and celery (as in Step 6). Cover and cook for about 10 minutes then add the chicken meatballs and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Finish the soup as per Instructions.
Top tips
- You can make the chicken meatballs with or without the dill.
- Rub a little oil on your hands as you form the balls – this will prevent the meat sticking to your hands.
- I recommend browning the chicken meatballs before adding into the soup (they will taste and look better). Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Finish cooking the meatballs in the soup but try not to overcook them.
- For the soup base you can use Polish rosόł, another chicken broth recipe or stock cubes (1.5) instead if preferred.
- This soup tastes great the next day too!
- Once cooled completely refrigerate your leftover chicken meatball soup for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Related recipes
- Chicken Zoodle Soup with Pasta
- Polish Egg Drop Noodles Soup
- Chicken and Cabbage Soup
- Polish Chicken Barley Soup
- Chicken and Potato Vegetable Soup
Check out also these other traditional Polish recipes including more Polish soups!
Recipe
Polish Chicken Meatball Soup
Equipment
- Large non-stick pan
- Food processor
- Large pot
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound (450 g) ground chicken 5-7% fat
- 1 medium size stale bun white/sourdough, or English/breakfast muffin
- ¼ teaspoon onion granules
- ⅓ teaspoon fine sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon dill (optional) or parsley, finely chopped
For the soup
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ½ small leek finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot peeled, coarsely grated
- 4 tablespoons (40 g) celery root/celeriac peeled, coarsely grated
- 2 medium potatoes peeled, cubed
- 3½ cups (850-900 ml) chicken stock *See Notes below
- 1 tablespoon dill finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ tablespoons sour cream
Instructions
Make the meatballs
- Place the bun in a small bowl, cover with cold water and set aside to soak for a few minutes. Squeeze out excess water (do this thoroughly) so that you are left with a mushy lump of bread.
- Combine the ground chicken with the bun, onion granules, salt, a few grindings of pepper and dill (optionally). Working with your hands mix the ingredients until thoroughly incorporated (3-4 minutes).
- Form walnut-size meatballs (rub a little oil on your hands to prevent the meat sticking to them). You should have about 25 meatballs.
- In a large non-stick pan heat about 2 teaspoons of oil and fry the meatballs over a medium heat for about 2 minutes just until lightly browned turning them over several times. They will finish cooking in the soup. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Make the soup
- In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the onion and leek and fry gently for 3 minutes until softened stirring often.
- Add the cubed potatoes, grated carrot and celeriac, most of the stock, cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Drop the meatballs into the soup, add more stock, if needed, cover, bring to the boil again then simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the dill and parsley.
- In a bowl combine the sour cream with a few tablespoons of the soup then slowly pour this mixture back into the soup. Season to taste and enjoy your soup with chicken meatballs!
Notes
- You can make the meatballs with or without the dill/parsley.
- Rub a little oil on your hands as you form the balls – this will prevent the meat sticking to your hands.
- I recommend browning the meatballs before adding into the soup (they will taste and look better). Finish cooking the meatballs in the soup but make sure you don’t overcook them.
- *For the soup base you can use Polish rosόł, another chicken broth recipe or stock cubes (1.5) instead if preferred.
- This soup tastes great the next day too!
- Once cooled completely refrigerate your leftover chicken meatball soup for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
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 this Polish chicken meatball 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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Monika says
Czy mozna ominac bulke w pulpetach? Nie jem chleba...
P says
Use quick oats ground fine instead.
Monika says
Or use gluten free bread.