Recipe

Cranberry & Chicken Borscht

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 8 hr
Serves: 10

Heart-healthy beets loaded with antioxidants take centre stage in our protein-rich borscht. Easy to prepare in your slow cooker, this soup is sure to be a favourite in your household. We put a spin on this traditional European favourite by adding tart cranberries and a touch of brown sugar. Red wine vinegar provides just the right amount of acidity to complement the sweetness in this satisfying soup.

Ingredients

1 2/3 lb (0.8 kg) skinless chicken legs and back
8 cups (2 L) cold water
2 lb (1 kg) beets
1 cup (250 mL) red onion(s), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 cup (250 mL) cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) dill, minced
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) caraway seed
1 cup (250 mL) sour cream, 14 % MF
10 sprigs dill, fresh

Instructions

1 Place chicken in bottom of the slow cooker.
2 Wash and dice beets. Add to slow cooker with cold water. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, cranberries, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, brown sugar, dill and caraway seed.
3 Cook on low heat 8-12 hours. Discard bay leaves. Remove chicken from soup to cool. Remove meat from the bone. Shred or dice and add back to the soup.
4 To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig or two of the fresh dill. If you want to be more creative mix the sour cream with a little milk and swirl artfully onto the top of the bowls. Then crown with a dill sprig.