Iraqi Chicken Shorba
Chicken-breast soup with short-grain rice cooked directly in the broth, turmeric and cardamom.
Preparation: 10 min · Cooking: 55 min · Total: 1 hr 5 min · 2 servings
Ingredients
- salt to taste
- 960 ml initial fresh soup water
- 60 ml dry short-grain rice, measured before rinsing
- 150 g raw boneless skinless chicken breast, small even cubes
- small onion, chopped — 1
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 0.25 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- additional boiling soup water if needed (optional)
- fresh lemon wedges for separate serving (optional)
Instructions
Prepare safely
Rinse the 60 ml dry short-grain rice and drain; chop the onion. Prepare 150 g chicken-breast cubes separately and keep at ≤4°C until needed. No old thigh, carrot or celery scaffold is retained.
No old thigh, carrot or celery scaffold is retained.
Heat gently
Heat the 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a suitable deep pot over medium heat without smoking.
Heat the 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a suitable deep pot over medium heat without smoking.
Sauté the ingredients
Add the chopped onion and stir from about 3 minutes until translucent without burning.
Add the chopped onion and stir from about 3 minutes until translucent without burning.
Sauté the ingredients: 180 seconds
Sauté the ingredients
Add 150 g raw chicken cubes and stir from about 5 minutes until the surfaces turn opaque. An opaque surface is not proof that chicken centres are safely cooked.
An opaque surface is not proof that chicken centres are safely cooked.
Sauté the ingredients: 300 seconds
Add the aromatics
Stir in 1 tsp turmeric, 0.25 tsp cardamom and salt from about 1 minute until aromatic without scorching.
Stir in 1 tsp turmeric, 0.25 tsp cardamom and salt from about 1 minute until aromatic without scorching.
Add the aromatics: 60 seconds
Mix the base
Add the drained short-grain rice and all 960 ml initial fresh soup water directly to this pot. Do not cook a separate long-grain rice pan.
Do not cook a separate long-grain rice pan.
Simmer and check
Bring to a controlled boil, then reduce to low heat with an ordinary lid slightly ajar for steam. This is not a sealed pressure vessel.
This is not a sealed pressure vessel.
Simmer and check
Begin checks around 45 minutes of gentle simmering. Stir across the bottom and corners whenever needed, not only every 10 minutes regardless of sticking. Add conditional boiling water in small amounts if required.
Add conditional boiling water in small amounts if required.
Simmer and check: 2700 seconds
Check doneness
Continue until the rice is very soft and broken down to thicken the broth. Check several thick chicken centres for 74°C; colour, time and soup thickness alone are insufficient.
Check several thick chicken centres for 74°C; colour, time and soup thickness alone are insufficient.
Measure the ingredients
Half uses 30 ml dry rice, 75 g chicken, 480 ml initial water and 0.125 tsp cardamom. For 8 servings use 240 ml rice, 600 g chicken, 3840 ml initial water and 1 tsp cardamom; the initial water is not a promised final bowl yield.
For 8 servings use 240 ml rice, 600 g chicken, 3840 ml initial water and 1 tsp cardamom; the initial water is not a promised final bowl yield.
Finish and check
If desired, serve the separately listed fresh lemon wedges alongside 2 portions. They are not a mandatory 30 ml juice addition, and no cold-treatment claim is made.
They are not a mandatory 30 ml juice addition, and no cold-treatment claim is made.
Serve and store
Serve hot once safe to eat. Refrigerate shallow leftovers within 1 hour at ≤4°C and use within 24 hours; reheat at most once to 74°C throughout.
Refrigerate shallow leftovers within 1 hour at ≤4°C and use within 24 hours; reheat at most once to 74°C throughout.
Tips
- Instructions describe the base 2-serving batch. Controls scale the ingredient list to 1 or 8 servings, exactly half or fourfold. One cup is 240 ml, one tbsp 15 ml, one tsp 5 ml; dry volumes are not gram weights. Use equivalent vessels and manageable batches; timers are first checks, not linear cooking rules.
Common mistakes
- Do not add unlisted fat, liquid or garnishes or rely on a fixed time or browned surface alone.
Substitutions
- Keep the stated source states and explicit alternatives; check product instructions and allergens.
Storage
Refrigerate promptly in shallow portions within 1 hour at ≤4°C; use within 24 hours from preparation, including cooling. This is a conservative household limit, not a validated shelf life.
Reheating
Reheat leftovers at most once to 74°C throughout and serve promptly; keep unused portions refrigerated.
About this recipe
Chicken-breast soup with short-grain rice cooked directly in the broth, turmeric and cardamom.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.