Chicken Soup with Semolina Dumplings

In Slovenian culinary tradition, no proper lunch is complete without a soup. This custom became widespread in the late 19th and early 20th century, when soups began to take a central place at the family table. They were served in homes across the country, from humble cottages to grand townhouses. What varied was not the presence of soup itself, but its richness — determined by how much meat a family could afford. For poorer households, a hearty soup often made up the entire meal. In wealthier homes, it was the opening course of a multi-course feast.

One beloved addition to Slovenian soups — both then and now — are knedlci, soft semolina dumplings. My grandmother would always prepare her chicken soup with knedlci, a tradition I continue in my own kitchen. There is nothing quite as comforting as a steaming bowl of homemade soup with dumplings, especially on cold or gray days — a timeless dish that warms both body and soul.

Recipe

Ingredients for the Soup:

• chicken carcass

• one small onion

• 1 clove garlic

• 3 carrots

• 1 stalk celery

• 1 parsley root

• 1 bay leaf

• a few black peppercorns

• 6 sprigs of parsley

• salt to taste

Semolina Dumplings:

• 1 egg

• 30 g butter (melted and then cooled)

• 60 g semolina (coarse ground wheat farina)

• salt to taste

Instructions:

Chicken Preparation:

1. Begin by cutting up the whole chicken with a sharp knife. Place the chicken on a cutting board, breast side up. Start with the legs: cut the skin between the breast and thigh on one side, then bend the leg back until the thighbone pops out of its socket. Cut through the joint to remove the thigh completely. Repeat on the other side.

2. Next, remove the wings. Turn the chicken, pull one wing to the side, cut through the skin, break the shoulder joint, and detach the wing. Repeat with the other wing.

3. Finally, remove the breast. Carefully run your knife along the breastbone, keeping the blade close to the bones, and separate the breast meat.

4. You will now have two legs, two wings, and two boneless chicken breasts — perfect for preparing dishes such as fried chicken. The remaining chicken carcass is ideal for making a flavorful soup.

Soup:

1. Wash the chicken carcass under cold water. Cut the onion into large chunks. Peel and dice the carrots and parsley root. Dice the celery stalk.

2. Place the prepared vegetables and the chicken carcass into a large pot. Add one clove of garlic, salt, whole peppercorns, a bay leaf, and three sprigs of parsley.

3. Pour in 2 liters of water and bring to a boil. Once the soup starts boiling, skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

4. Simmer gently over low heat for at least one hour. (This is a good time to prepare the semolina dumplings.)

5. After cooking, remove the carcass, garlic, onion, and parsley sprigs from the soup.

Semolina Dumplings:

1. Beat an egg in a bowl. While beating, slowly mix in the melted and cooled butter. Season with a pinch of salt.

2. Gradually whisk in the semolina until fully incorporated.

3. Let the mixture rest for about 15 minutes.

4. In the meantime, bring 500 ml of water to a boil in a pot.

5. Dip a spoon into the hot water, then use it to shape the dumplings. This video shows how to do it with two spoons.

6. Gently lower the dumplings into the simmering water and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes.

Serving the Chicken Soup:

1. Finely chop the remaining parsley.

2. Once the dumplings are cooked, transfer them to serving bowls. Ladle the hot chicken stock over the dumplings and sprinkle with chopped parsley. If you like, you can also add some of the cooked carrots and pieces of meat from the soup.