Make Romanian Moldavian chicken borș with a clear hen broth, root vegetables, fermented bran borș, homemade egg noodles and fresh lovage.
Moldavian chicken borșA clear, gently simmered hen broth made tangy with fermented wheat-bran borș, enriched with root vegetables and finished with homemade egg noodles and lovage.
In Romanian cooking, borș names both a family of sour soups and the fermented liquid that gives many of them their characteristic brightness. In this Moldavian preparation, the liquid is made from wheat bran and used to sharpen a clear chicken broth. It is not beet borscht. The recipe belongs to Moldova, the historical region in eastern Romania; the name does not identify the Republic of Moldova, even though the wider area shares related food traditions across a modern border.
The dish is a home-style soup rather than a single fixed formula. Published Romanian versions agree on chicken, root vegetables, greens, noodles and a souring liquid, while the exact roots, the presence of tomato and the choice between noodles and egg ribbons vary. This version uses a stewing hen cut into pieces, onion, carrot, parsnip, parsley root, celeriac and sweet red pepper. A modest tomato addition gives the broth a little color without turning it into a tomato soup. The quantities are a practical six-serving synthesis, not a claim that every Moldavian household measures the pot in the same way.
A whole stewing hen brings more flavor and body than a very young bird, but its age and size affect how long it takes to soften. Cutting it into eight bone-in pieces helps it cook more evenly and makes it easier to check every piece. Starting the meat in cold water allows the broth to heat gradually. Once it approaches a simmer, gentle heat and patient skimming help keep the liquid clear. A rolling boil can break up fat and foam and make a broth cloudy, so keep the surface moving only slightly.
The vegetables enter after the chicken has begun to tenderize. Root vegetables add sweetness and a rounded aroma; parsley root and lovage are especially familiar in Romanian soups. Celeriac contributes a mild celery note without the stronger leafy character of celery stalks. The pieces should be cut evenly so they soften at about the same pace. Tomato is kept restrained because the broth should remain light enough for the fermented borș and herbs to be tasted distinctly.
Fermented wheat-bran borș is added near the end. Boil it separately first, then stir it into the soup gradually and taste as you go: its acidity and saltiness differ by brand and batch. The stated 500 ml is a starting amount for this recipe, not a universal measure. Adding all the liquid before tasting can make the soup sharper or saltier than intended. Vinegar, lemon juice and cabbage brine are not equivalent substitutes for the flavor of fermented bran borș, so this canonical version keeps the named ingredient.
Homemade egg noodles are another point of household variation. Thin hand-cut noodles cook quickly and make the soup substantial while leaving the broth easy to spoon. Some cooks use irregular egg-flour ribbons instead. This recipe chooses noodles and cooks them only until tender; adding them too early can make them swell and cloud the broth. If you prepare noodles ahead, keep them lightly dusted and separate until the soup is nearly finished. A small amount of parsley supports the final handful of chopped lovage rather than competing with it.
The long simmer is a gentle process, but chicken safety still depends on temperature, not appearance. Check the thickest part of several pieces with an instant-read thermometer, keeping the probe away from bone, and make sure each reaches 165°F (73.9°C). The stated cooking time is an estimate for a cut stewing hen; continue simmering if the meat has not softened or a piece has not reached the safe temperature. Once ready, serve the chicken in the soup or remove the bones carefully and return the meat to the pot.
Serve the soup hot in deep bowls, with enough broth, vegetables, noodles and chicken in each portion. Fresh lovage is most fragrant when stirred in at the end, and extra chopped herbs can be offered at the table. In a household meal it can stand on its own, perhaps with bread, but bread is an accompaniment rather than a required component of the formula. Leftovers should be cooled promptly and refrigerated; noodles gradually absorb broth, so a splash of water or unsalted stock helps loosen the soup when reheating.
Ask the butcher to cut the hen into eight bone-in pieces, or separate it through the joints at home. Do not rinse raw poultry. Peel and dice the carrot, parsnip, parsley root, celeriac and sweet pepper into even small pieces; dice the tomato and halve the onion. Keep raw chicken separate from ready-to-eat herbs and wash hands, knife and board after handling it.
Place the bone-in hen pieces and onion in the large pot and add the cold water. Bring it slowly toward a gentle simmer over medium heat. As foam rises, lift it away with a slotted spoon. Lower the heat so only small bubbles break the surface, partially cover and simmer until the meat is beginning to soften, about 70 minutes; the exact time depends on the bird. While the broth simmers, mix the flour, egg and a pinch of measured salt into a firm dough. Knead briefly, cover and let it rest.
Add the carrot, parsnip, parsley root, celeriac, red pepper and tomato. Keep the broth at a quiet simmer for about 25 minutes, until the vegetables are nearly tender and the chicken is softening. Stir once gently so the vegetables cook evenly without breaking the meat apart. Add a little hot water if the chicken is no longer covered. During this simmer, roll the rested noodle dough thin, cut it into narrow ribbons and dust lightly with flour.
Check the thickest part of every chicken piece with an instant-read thermometer, keeping the probe clear of bone. Each piece must reach 165°F / 73.9°C. If a piece is below that temperature or still firm, continue the gentle simmer and check again. The cooking time is an estimate; the measured temperature is the safety endpoint. Skim any remaining foam and taste the broth before salting further.
Bring the fermented wheat-bran borș to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the fresh noodles to the soup and cook just until tender, usually 3–5 minutes. Stir in the hot borș a little at a time, tasting between additions; the full 500 ml may not be needed if your borș is especially sharp or salty. Simmer the soup for 2 minutes after the final addition.
Turn off the heat. Remove the onion halves if you prefer, then stir in the chopped lovage and parsley. Taste and adjust the salt only after the borș has been added. Let the soup stand for 3–5 minutes, then ladle the broth, vegetables, noodles and a chicken piece into each warm bowl.
Gentle heat and early skimming help keep this chicken broth clear.
The fermented borș may already contain salt; season the soup after it is added.
Stir in lovage and parsley off the heat to preserve their fresh aroma.
Some households use irregular egg-flour ribbons instead of hand-cut noodles; retain the same brief cooking time and avoid overfilling the pot.
Tomato is modest in this synthesis and is omitted in some family versions.
Use the full 500 ml borș only if its acidity and salt level suit the finished broth.
| Problem | What to do |
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The noodles gradually absorb broth, so the soup may thicken after refrigeration.
Cool promptly, refrigerate within two hours in a covered container and use within 3–4 days.
Reheat gently until steaming hot throughout. Stir in a splash of water or unsalted stock if the noodles have absorbed broth.
It is a fermented wheat-bran liquid used to sour Romanian soups. It is not beet borscht. Boil it separately and add gradually to control acidity and salt.
The roster and this recipe refer to Moldova, the historical region in eastern Romania. Related food traditions also cross the present-day border; the recipe does not claim that every version is identical.
Check the thickest part of every piece with a food thermometer, without touching bone. Each piece must reach 165°F / 73.9°C; continue simmering if needed.
Yes. Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within two hours. Use within 3–4 days. Noodles absorb broth as they sit, so add a little water or unsalted stock when reheating.
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