Hearty Pickle Soup Recipe

hearty pickle soup in a small white bowl.

5 from 1 vote

Hearty Pickle Soup Recipe

A hearty, healthy and flavorful soup made with pickle juice rather than grated pickles. Pickle juice adds a subtle pickle flavor, whereas I find that adding actual sliced or shredded pickles is less gentle on the palate.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Russian

Servings: -10

Calories: 203kcal

Author: Irina

Equipment

Large Pot or Dutch oven

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breast or thighs (about 3 breasts)
1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing
1 yellow onion medium, chopped
1 carrot peeled and grated
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 medium potatoes peeled and diced - Yukon gold preferred.
½ cup pearl barley rinsed under cool water - if you like your soup thinner use ⅓ cup
1 cup pickle juice - pickle brine from a jar of pickles
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash original, salt-free or Vegeta seasoning
10 cups water

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Instructions

Place the chicken into a large pot and cover it with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water has boiled and the foam has risen to the top, drain it and rinse the meat. Transfer the chicken onto a cutting board and set aside to cool down.
1 lb. chicken breast
In the same pot, heat oil over medium-high, then reduce heat to medium and add the chopped onion and grated carrot. Sauté until the onion is translucent and the carrot is tender (about 5 minutes), and stir in the salt and ground black pepper.
1 tablespoon olive oil , 1 yellow onion, 1 carrot, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
While the onion and carrot are cooking, dice the slightly cooled chicken and add it to the pot once the carrots and onions have cooked.
Add the diced potatoes, rinsed barley, pickle juice, Mrs. Dash or Vegeta seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the barley and potatoes are tender, and the chicken is fully cooked.
3 medium potatoes, ½ cup pearl barley, 1 cup pickle juice , 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash, 10 cups water
Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings as needed with additional salt, pepper, or pickle juice.

Notes

Use high-quality pickle juice from your favorite pickles. The flavor of the pickle juice will significantly impact the taste of your soup.
Parboil the meat and drain the murky water to achieve a clearer broth and remove excess fat and impurities from the chicken.
Barley triples in volume and absorbs a lot of the liquid it is cooked in, so make sure to use a large pot!
This recipe makes a hearty, thick, stew-like, soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, you may like to use a little less barley. Alternatively, you can cook the barley separately, and rinse it under cool water once it cooks. This will rinse off a lot of the starch that would thicken the soup. Once you rinse the barley, add it to the soup and allow it to absorb all the soup flavors.

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