It’s been about three months since I moved to Prague from Canada, and although the food is good, nothing beats home.

The heat wave that was moving through Prague has finally passed, and the cloudy, rainy days have set in. Fall has finally hit and I need some comfort food to ease my homesickness. To me, there’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of my Mama’s soup. This recipe is a perfect example of the magic of Hungarian cooking – transforming some of the simplest and most basic ingredients into something insanely delicious.

Ingredients

Chicken Soup with Paprika

1kg chicken (legs & breasts)

500 g green peas

mixed vegetables (4-6 big carrots, ½ celery root, 1 large potato)

1 large finely chopped yellow onion

1 head of garlic (halved)

3 tbs sunflower oil

salt & peppercorns to taste

2 tbs sweet paprika

parsley, a bunch

spring onions, to taste

1 L chicken broth

METHOD

01 PREPARTION

Thoroughly clean the chicken, finely chop the yellow onion, and dice the vegetables into cubes (skins peeled). Once these are prepped, heat the cooking oil until hot and then add the yellow onions into your pot.

02 COOK THE ONIONS

Cook the onions until they are glassy, then add the diced vegetables and cook these together for about 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat. Next, measure out ~200 ml of broth and pour the paprika into it.

03 MAKE YOUR BROTH

Stir this mixture so that the paprika doesn’t clump, then add it into your pot along with the remaining broth. Add the salt, pepper, meat, parsley, green onions and garlic.

Turn the heat down to a simmer, close your lid, and let it cook for about an hour (don’t lift the lid – I know it’s tempting!). Once an hour has gone by, give the soup a taste & add more salt and pepper if you need it.

04 SERVE & ENJOY!

Then, add your green peas a few minutes before serving so the stay a bright green colour.

Now, get yourself a bowl & ENJOY!