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Danish chicken soup (Hønsekødssuppe) in a rustic bowl with tender chicken, meatballs, dumplings, carrots, leeks, and fresh parsley.
Erik Lundström

Traditional Hønsekødssuppe with Meatballs & Dumplings

The recipe below yields a generous pot of soup for 6 to 8 people. It uses a large soup hen or stewing chicken, which yields a richer broth than a young roasting bird. If you can’t find dumpling and meatball mix in your local market, the simple recipes here will guide you. All measurements are given in both metric and US customary units.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Making the broth 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Danish
Calories: 360
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the broth
  • 1 whole hen (3.5–4.5 lb / (1.5–2 kg)
  • 2.5 quarts (2.5 l) Cold water, enough to cover the hen
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 leeks
  • ½ celeriac
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 6–8 Whole white peppercorns, black pepper works too
  • salt, to taste
For the meatballs (kødboller)
  • ½ lb (250 g) Ground pork (or pork & beef mixture)
  • 1 tbsp (15 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 small onion (or ½ large)
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the dumplings (melboller)
  • ⅔ stick (75 g) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup (120 ml) water
  • ½ cup (75 g) all‑purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To serve
  • fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method
 

Make the broth
  1. Rinse the soup hen and remove any giblets.
  2. Place it in a large stockpot and cover with the cold water.
  3. Slowly bring the pot to a gentle boil, skimming off any foam for a clear broth.
  4. Add the carrots, leeks, celeriac, onion, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns.
  5. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 2–3 hours.
  6. The bird should be tender and the stock a deep golden color.
Prepare the meatballs
  1. In a bowl, mix the ground pork with flour, grated onion, egg, salt and pepper.
  2. Stir in the milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is soft but holds together.
  3. Wet your hands and roll into 2–3 cm (about 1 inch) balls.
  4. Bring a separate pot of salted water to a simmer and poach the meatballs for 5–10 minutes, until cooked through.
  5. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Make the dumplings
  1. Melt the butter with the water in a saucepan.
  2. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
  3. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time until the dough is glossy and holds a shape. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  5. Using a teaspoon or piping bag, drop small dumplings into simmering water (use the water from the meatballs if you like).
  6. Cook until they float and are puffed, about 5 minutes.
  7. Lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Finish the broth
  1. When the broth has simmered long enough, lift out the hen and vegetables.
  2. Strain the stock through a fine sieve for a clear soup, or leave some vegetables for a rustic texture.
  3. Pull the meat from the hen, discarding skin and bones.
  4. Season the broth generously with salt and taste; its warmth should be deep and mellow.
Assemble the soup
  1. Return the strained broth to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Add the cooked meatballs and dumplings and warm through for 5 minutes
  3. Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each serving has meatballs, dumplings and a few shreds of chicken.
  4. Scatter with chopped parsley and serve with bread.