Balkan Chicken Soup with Dumplings (Domaća Supa sa Knedlama)

The kind of soup that fixes everything. According to every Balkan mother, grandmother, and auntie.

There are few things more comforting than a big bowl of homemade Balkan chicken soup with fluffy semolina dumplings, known as supa sa knedlama.

Growing up in a Balkan household, soup wasn't optional. It was the beginning of every proper family lunch, especially on Sundays. And if you were sick? Forget the pharmacy. Baba was already putting a pot of supa on the stove.

This traditional recipe is simple, comforting, and made with ingredients you probably already have in your fridge. The secret is a slow-simmered chicken broth, fresh vegetables, and a little Spicy Balkan Vegetable Začin to bring everything together.

Ingredients

For the chicken soup (Supa)

• 2 carrots, peeled
• 2 parsnips, peeled
• 1 chicken drumstick and 1 chicken thigh, skin on
• 1–2 tsp Spicy Balkan Vegetable Začin Seasoning
• Pinch of salt, and approx 5 whole peppercorns
• A few sprigs of fresh parsley
• Any extra vegetables hanging around in your fridge, such as a red bell pepper for a touch of sweetness
• Approx. 2 litres (8 cups) of water (Fill up your medium sized pot)

For the semolina dumplings (Knedle)

•1 medium egg
•3-4 tbsp griz (cream of wheat), adjusting as needed
•Pinch of salt

Instructions

Step 1: Making the broth

Place the chicken drumstick with skin and thigh into a large soup pot. Add the carrots, parsnips, parsley, and any extra vegetables you want to use along with approx. 5 pepper corns.

Fill up your pot with cold water, enough to cover everything generously. Leave some space above so you don't boil over.

Bring to a gentle boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface if you wish (i leave this in, but this is personal preference). 

Add the Spicy Balkan Vegetable Začin and a pinch of salt.

Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer gently for approx. an hour, until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.

My Djedo used to say, nothing can be done quickly, good supa takes time. 

Step 2: Prepare the knedle za supu (dumplings)

While the soup is simmering, crack the egg into a small bowl and beat it with a fork.

Add a pinch of salt. Mix until combined.

Gradually stir in 3 tablespoons of semolina (Griz). Add a little more if needed, until you have a soft, thick mixture that holds its shape on a spoon but isn't stiff.

Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes. The semolina will absorb the liquid and thicken naturally.

Baba's tip: Don't add too much semolina. The secret to fluffy knedle is keeping the mixture soft. Nobody wants dumplings that could break a window. If you don't use enough, then it will boil and fall apart, that's not good either. You need to test the thickness and use your instincts, do what feels right! Cooking isn't just science, it's a feeling. Anyway, moving on...

Step 3: Remove the vegetables and chicken

Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, throw out the vegetables (except for the carrots) and set aside the chicken in a shallow plate.

Once your chicken has cooked slightly, start shredding it into pieces using your hands and your fork. I like to add the chicken back into the soup or you can do what my baba did and she used to set it aside and serve with some ren (horseradish). a typical Balkan sunday lunch.

Step 4: Cook the your knedle

Bring the strained broth to a gentle simmer.

Dip a small teaspoon into the soup to coat it with a little oil and prevent sticking. Scoop small portions of the dumpling mixture from the side of your spoon, almost as if you were scooping ice cream, and carefully drop them into the soup.

Don't add them in all at once! I like to test one first to make sure it's holding together nicely. If it starts to fall apart, it means you need a little more griz (cream of wheat). Don't get discouraged, just go with the flow! Add a bit more griz, mix until the mixture is slightly thicker, and try again. Remember, the knedle will expand as they cook, so don't make them too big.

Cover the pot and simmer gently for about 10–15 minutes, until the dumplings are fluffy and cooked through. I like to let the soup sit for a few extra minutes afterward so the knedle can absorb some of that delicious broth and become even softer. Do the taste test, cut one open to make sure the centre is fully cooked.

Avoid letting the soup come to a rolling boil, as this can cause the delicate dumplings to break apart.

Step 5: Serve it the Balkan way

Ladle the hot soup into bowls, making sure everyone gets a few fluffy knedle.

Garnish with fresh parsley, crack in some black pepper and serve immediately. Make sure it's hot, cold supa is unacceptable. Make sure to warn everyone to blow if it's too hot, my tata used to say piri, imaš buru ispod nosa.

Baba's Tips

•Use skin-on chicken. It gives the broth a richer, more traditional homemade flavour
•Don't waste vegetables. That slightly wrinkled pepper or lonely carrot in your fridge? Throw it in
•Keep the heat low. A gentle simmer helps produce a clearer broth and keeps your dumplings tender.
Let your knedle mixture rest. This is the secret to getting the right consistency.