Soups
Cheese soup with chicken
Russian cheese soup is a family favourite that kids love as much as adults. Processed cheese melts into the broth and makes it creamy, almost like a velvety blended soup, but with no cream and no blender. Chicken makes it filling, while potatoes and carrots give a familiar home-cooked flavour. It is ideal for weeknights, ready in under an hour. Choose a good processed cheese made from real cheese, butter and milk, without vegetable fat; it decides both the flavour and how smoothly it melts. Chilling it in the freezer first makes it easy to grate.
Method
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Put the processed cheese in the freezer for 20 minutes so it is easy to grate.
Cover the chicken breast with 1.8 litres of cold water, bring to the boil, skim and simmer for 20 minutes with the bay leaf. Lift out the chicken and shred or dice it.
Cut the potatoes into 1.5 cm cubes, add to the simmering broth and cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile finely dice the onion, finely grate the carrot and fry them in the butter over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add the fried vegetables and the chicken to the soup and cook for 5 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Remove the bay leaf.
Coarsely grate the cheese and add it a handful at a time, stirring constantly over low heat. Don't let the soup boil hard.
Once the cheese has completely melted, add pepper and taste. Salt carefully, as the cheese is already salty.
Stir in the chopped dill, turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.
Tips for success
- Add the cheese to hot but not boiling broth and keep stirring to avoid lumps.
- For a thicker soup, mash a couple of potato chunks in the pan.
- If the cheese does split, blitz the soup with a stick blender and it will be smooth again.
- Salt only after the cheese has melted.
Serving and storage
Serve hot with croutons and fresh dill.
Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently without boiling. Not suitable for freezing.
Variations
- With mushrooms: fry 250 g of button mushrooms with the onion and carrot.
- With meatballs: cook small meatballs made from 300 g of minced chicken in the broth instead of the breast.
- Smooth version: blend the finished soup and serve topped with bacon.
Calories and macros
Per serving (about 437 g):
Per 100 g: 52 kcal, P 4.2, F 2.3, C 3.5. An estimate based on average ingredient values. Your daily calories ›
