Chicken Shorba / Indian Chicken Soup (Instant Pot)
Indian chicken soup, or chicken shorba, is a delicious and mildly spiced comforting soup that features tender chicken, aromatic spices, and fragrant herbs.
Servings: 4
Calories: 249kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thigh and drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 inch cinnamon
- 1 star anise
- 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
- 3-4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 inch ginger peeled and sliced
- 1-2 green chilies (adjust as per taste or skip for a mild soup)
- 1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
- ½ cup cilantro stalk (around 15 stalks)
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
To finish:
- ½ teaspoon garam masala (use store-bought or homemade garam masala)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly cracked)
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed in ½ cup water
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves chopped
- ½ lemon (optional)
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and add ghee. Once it melts, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, star anise, and whole black peppercorns. Saute for 10 seconds.
- Next, add onion, ginger, garlic, and cilantro stem. Saute them for 2 minutes or until the onions begin to sweat.
- Add the chicken pieces, water, and salt. Make sure the chicken is fully covered in water. If not, add one more cup of water.
- Secure the IP lid and pressure cook for 10 minutes. Let the pressure come down naturally.
- Open the lid and carefully take the chicken pieces out of the liquid. Shred the chicken and discard the bones. Set it aside.
- Pass the remaining liquid through a sieve to get clear broth.
- Pour the broth back into the inner pot of the Instant Pot and set it to saute mode.
- Add the shredded chicken, garam masala, cilantro, and cream.
- Mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the soup and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Squeeze in lemon juice just before serving.
Notes
In this recipe, I have used a mix of chicken drumsticks and thighs. You can use any cut to make chicken shorba.
Adjust the thickness of this Indian chicken soup by increasing or reducing the cornstarch slurry.
Nutrition
Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 690mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 448IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg