Name: Polish tomato soup with rice
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 6 portions, each about 400 ml soup plus rice
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 700 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 2 l cold water; 120 g carrot, peeled and cut into chunks; 80 g parsley root, peeled and cut into chunks; 80 g leek, washed and sliced; 60 g celeriac, peeled and diced; 100 g yellow onion, halved; 900 g ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped; 2 g arlic cloves (about 8 g), lightly crushed; 4 whole allspice berries; 1 bay leaf; 6 g fine salt, divided, plus more to taste; Black pepper, to taste; 5 g granulated sugar, optional, only if the tomatoes are very tart; 150 g long-grain white rice; 300 ml water, or the amount specified for the package absorption method; 2 g fine salt; 150 ml 18% cooking cream; 10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

A wide view of „Polish tomato soup with rice“ arranged on a table for serving.

Yield 6 portions, each about 400 ml soup plus rice

Difficulty moderate

Category Polish-style chicken and tomato soup with rice

Preparation about 25 minutes

Ingredients ↓

At a glance

Polish tomato soup with rice

Polish tomato soup with rice pairs a bright, smooth tomato broth with tender chicken, root vegetables and fluffy white rice. This version starts with a light chicken stock, simmers ripe tomatoes until soft, then blends and finishes the soup with gently tempered cream. Cook the rice separately so it stays tender and the soup is easier to store.

Tomato soup is a familiar part of Polish home cooking, but households prepare it in more than one way. Fresh tomatoes or tomato concentrate may form the base, and rice or pasta may be served with it. This recipe follows a fresh-tomato route and chooses rice; it is one practical version rather than a single required national formula.

Carrot, parsley root, leek and celeriac build a mild broth, while chicken adds body and becomes a simple shredded garnish. Blending the tomato base creates a smooth bowl, and a small amount of cream softens its acidity. Add sugar only if the tomatoes taste unusually tart.

The recipe makes six bowls, each with about 400 ml soup and a serving of rice. Keep the rice separate from leftover soup for the best texture and faster cooling. Finish with fresh parsley and serve while steaming hot.

Tips for a smooth, balanced soup

Keep raw chicken and its board separate from vegetables, and wash hands and surfaces after handling it.
Bring the chicken to a gentle simmer and skim the surface; a hard boil can make the broth cloudy.
Use ripe tomatoes for the fullest flavour. Blanching and peeling them keeps the blended soup smooth.
Strain out the cooked aromatics and whole spices before blending; remove allspice and bay so no hard pieces remain.
Check chicken temperature in the thickest part, away from bone; it must reach 74 °C / 165 °F.
Cook rice in a separate pan and follow its package absorption ratio if it differs from this recipe.
Temper the cream gradually with hot soup, then keep the finished pot below a boil to avoid curdling.
Taste before adding sugar. Ripe tomatoes may need none.

Ingredients

Broth and soup

700 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 l cold water
120 g carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
80 g parsley root, peeled and cut into chunks
80 g leek, washed and sliced
60 g celeriac, peeled and diced
100 g yellow onion, halved
900 g ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
2 g arlic cloves (about 8 g), lightly crushed
4 whole allspice berries
1 bay leaf
6 g fine salt, divided, plus more to taste
Black pepper, to taste
5 g granulated sugar, optional, only if the tomatoes are very tart

Rice

150 g long-grain white rice
300 ml water, or the amount specified for the package absorption method
2 g fine salt

Finish

150 ml 18% cooking cream
10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method

Directions

Start a gentle chicken brothKeep the chicken and its board separate from the vegetables. Put 700 g chicken thighs and 2 l cold water in a large pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming foam from the surface. Partially cover and simmer for 25 minutes; avoid a hard boil.
Cook the chicken and vegetablesAdd the carrot, parsley root, leek, celeriac, onion, garlic, allspice, bay leaf and 4 g of the salt. Simmer partially covered for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender and the thickest chicken portion reaches 74 °C / 165 °F. Lift out the chicken and vegetables with tongs or a slotted spoon. Strain the broth into a heatproof bowl. Discard the onion, bay leaf and allspice; reserve the carrot and root vegetables if you want a less smooth soup. Remove and discard the chicken skin and bones, shred the meat, cover and set aside. During this 20-minute vegetable simmer, start cooking the rice separately as described in step 3.
Cook the rice separatelyRinse 150 g rice under cold water until the runoff is mostly clear. Put it in a small saucepan with 300 ml water and 2 g salt. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat according to the package directions, usually 12–15 minutes, until tender and the water is absorbed. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Follow the package water ratio if it differs.
Blanch and simmer the tomatoesScore a small cross in each tomato skin. Lower the tomatoes into boiling water for 30–45 seconds, then transfer them to cold water. Slip off the skins, remove the cores and roughly chop the flesh. Return the strained broth to the soup pot, add the tomatoes and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until completely soft.
Blend and season the soupRemove the pot from the heat and blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender, keeping the blade submerged to prevent splashes. If you prefer some vegetable pieces, stir the reserved carrot or parsley root back in. Add the remaining salt and black pepper. Taste; add the optional sugar only if the tomatoes are very tart. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
Temper the cream and finishWhisk 150 ml cream in a heatproof bowl. Slowly whisk in about 250 ml hot soup, one ladle at a time. Lower the pot to low heat and stir the tempered cream into the soup. Warm gently for 2–3 minutes without boiling. Stir in the shredded chicken and heat until steaming hot throughout.
Serve with rice and parsleyDivide the cooked rice among six bowls, about 75 g cooked rice per portion, then ladle in about 400 ml soup. Alternatively, serve rice alongside and let everyone add it to the bowl. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot.

Nutrition per serving

Servingabout 400 ml soup plus about 75 g cooked rice
Caloriesabout 310 kcal
Carbohydratesabout 35 g
Proteinabout 19 g
Fatabout 10 g
Fibreabout 4 g
Sodiumabout 630 mg

These rounded estimates include chicken, rice and cream and use the stated six-serving yield. Chicken meat recovery, tomato variety, broth reduction and salt absorption can change the values. The recipe uses water rather than packaged stock; using salted stock would raise sodium.

Allergens and food safety

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Serve the soup hot, with rice in the bowl or in a separate dish. Add parsley at the table for a fresh, herbal finish. The smooth soup should taste of ripe tomato and savoury broth, with cream rounding the acidity rather than masking it.

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Cool soup and rice separately in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 4 °C or below. Use within 3–4 days. Store rice separately so it does not keep absorbing broth. Reheat only the portion needed until steaming hot throughout, at least 74 °C / 165 °F; avoid repeated reheating.

Serving, storage and make-ahead: The broth and tomato base can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat it to a simmer, temper and stir in the cream, then add freshly cooked rice when serving. Do not leave cooked rice or soup at room temperature for an extended period.

This recipe contains milk in the cream and celery in the celeriac. Check labels on packaged ingredients and stock, if substituted, for additional allergens and cross-contact. Keep raw poultry separate from ready-to-eat foods, wash hands and utensils after handling it, and do not rinse raw chicken. Cook chicken to 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part without touching bone. Refrigerate soup and rice within 2 hours at 4 °C or below; reheat leftovers to 74 °C / 165 °F.

To finish

Fresh tomatoes, a light chicken-and-root-vegetable broth and tempered cream make a smooth Polish-style tomato soup.
Serve it with separately cooked white rice and parsley; keep both rice and leftovers chilled promptly.