Chikhirtma

What is Chikhirtma?

Everyone needs to have a chicken soup recipe in their pocket. Make ours at the onset of cooler temperatures, when you’re feeling under the weather, or save it for when you’re craving pure comfort food. If I had to choose just one recipe, this would be mine! Okay, beef paya soup is up there too!

Chikhirtma is a traditional Georgian chicken soup known for its rich chicken stock that’s thickened and flavored with tempered eggs. While each family recipe is a little different, the base is the same, made-from-scratch chicken stock, tempered eggs, lemon, and bright herbs like cilantro and dill.

Like many recipes from Georgia (Georgia, the country, not the state), the famous soup takes the most simple ingredients and transforms them into a complex and beautiful meal you’ll love.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Chicken Stock: I prepare homemade chicken stock using a broken-down whole chicken. Dill and cilantro stems add tartness and the garlic and onion round out the broth. It wouldn’t be complete without whole spices like peppercorns, coriander, cinnamon sticks, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves.
• Chicken: I use a whole chicken, but use chicken thighs and legs or a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to shorten the cooking time.
• Garlic: A whole garlic head cooks in the broth, and becomes a flavor bomb.
• Butter: A stick of butter may seem excessive, but it provides richness, and it’s a necessary ingredient for the roux.
• Carrots: Carrots add bulk and a beautiful pop of color.
• Flour: Create a blonde roux using flour and butter.
• Soy Sauce: Cut some of the acidity with umami-rich soy sauce.
• Egg Yolks: Egg yolks thicken the soup and compliments the tartness of ingredients, like lemon and dill.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice lends a tangy traditional Georgian flavor.
• Herbs: Garnish with fresh cilantro and dill.

How to Make Chikhirtma

The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.

For the Chicken Stock:

For the Georgian Chicken Soup:

Expert Tips

• Before squeezing the lemons, rub them on the countertop with your palm; this allows more lemon juice to release. 
• Do not simmer the soup after adding the eggs; doing so will cause the eggs to curdle.

How to Make Instant Pot Chikhirtma

For the Chicken Stock:

1. Tie the stems of the cilantro and dill bundles, then trim the leaves; reserve ¼ cup of each to garnish the soup.
2. Cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact.
3. Add the chicken, cilantro and dill stems, and garlic head to an Instant Pot, along with the remaining broth ingredients. Bring soup to a boil using the saute mode. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 30 minutes with a natural release.
4. Remove the lid and scoop up the garlic head. Set aside.
5. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet to cool. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin, bones, and cartilage. Keep the legs intact if you prefer, but I remove the skin.
6. Strain the broth into a mixing bowl using a colander and discard any solids.
7. Squeeze the garlic head into the broth using tongs, and whisk to combine. Set aside.

For the Georgian Chicken Soup:

1. In the Instant Pot, add butter, carrots, onions, and salt; cook on saute mode until the onions become translucent and soften for about 10-12 minutes.
2. Add flour and cinnamon. Stir for 1-2 minutes to build a roux, and then deglaze with soy sauce.
3. Add two cups of the reserved broth; give it a quick stir and simmer on saute mode for 5 minutes.
4. In another mixing bowl, whisk the yolks and lemon juice together. Continue whisking while slowly adding the 2 cups of hot broth. Then, unplug the Instant Pot and whisk in the lemon juice and eggs mixture.
5. Stir to combine. Do not simmer once the eggs are added.
6. Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices.
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh cilantro, dill, and red pepper flakes to serve.