Chicken Borscht 

This chicken borscht is a soup for all seasons, simmered with beets, cabbage, soft carrots, and a spoonful of plum jam stirred in just before serving.

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• A Shared Bowl of Plum and Beet
• Ingredients
• How to Make Chicken Borscht with Plum Jam Recipe
• Storage
• Top Tips
• Recipe

There is a kitchen in Beer Sheva where I first learned how to slice beets without staining the counter. A place where onion skins curled beside the sink and parsley stems hung to dry by the window. It wasn't my childhood home, but it carried the same smells. The same rhythms. That kitchen belongs to my grandmother Inna.

Every week, like clockwork, she makes chicken borscht. My mom says it started when she was still in school, coming home to the same steam-fogged windows and the same red-stained apron folded neatly on the hook. She tells me Inna made it even when it was hot outside, even when it was holiday time and there were ten other things to cook.

I was a teenager when I asked her why she made it with chicken instead of beef. She was peeling a potato at the time, her knife moving with quiet assurance. "Because it's lighter," she said, not looking up. "And you feel better after."

It's not quite the borscht you'd find in cookbooks or restaurants. Ours is softer, slightly sweet, and scented with fresh herbs. There's a spoonful of plum jam stirred in at the end, sometimes plum marmalade, if that's what's around. That part came from my great-grandmother Dora, who lived near a little orchard and always had preserves on hand. The jam rounds out the tomato paste, pulling the soup into that perfect place between tart and mellow.

This chicken borscht has become something of a signature in our family. Right beside vinaigrette salad and Icelandic pickled beets, it lives on our table in every season. When the kids are sick, I make it with a bit more dill. When my husband is rushing home after a long day, I serve it with sour cream and bread and let the pot rest on the stove for hours.

And when I miss the way things used to feel, my grandmother humming in the kitchen, the clink of her old enamel ladle against the pot-I make it exactly like this.

And yes, I make extra.

A Shared Bowl of Plum and Beet

In the Middle East and Eastern Europe, plum based sauces aren't rare. Tkemali in Georgia. Slivovitz in the Balkans. Even the way my mother-in-law in Colombia uses a sweet-savory guava glaze feels familiar. There's something about fruit cooked down with spices that brings out the heart in a dish.

Plum jam in borscht might sound like a small change, but it deepens everything. Beets on their own are earthy and quiet. Tomato paste gives them brightness. But plum brings that body and something close to memory. When stirred into hot broth, it folds into the vegetables, into the sweetness of carrots and onions, the salt of the broth.

It reminds me a lot of the layering we do in our vegetarian Ukrainian borscht recipe, where mushrooms and smoked paprika take the place of meat, but the richness still builds. Or the classic borscht, full-bodied and bright with cabbage and beet. Whether vegetarian or not, that balance of tang and earth and sweet is the thread that ties them all together.

In our house, plum preserves are often homemade, but store-bought works beautifully. I've used everything from thick marmalades to thinner sauces meant for grilled meat. If it's sweet and tart and smells like cooked fruit, it belongs in your spoon.

Ingredients

Chicken Breast - This version of borscht uses a single boneless chicken breast instead of beef or pork, which makes the broth lighter but still rich with depth. I use one small breast, poached whole to keep the broth clean. If you prefer darker meat, chicken thighs will work, but they'll add a bit more fat.

Beet - Main star of the dish. I finely chop raw beet for this soup, it gives the broth its deep color and earthy sweetness. Don't grate it; it's too intense that way and will overpower the broth. This beet is peeled, chopped small, and added early so it can tint the whole pot in that familiar magenta hue.

Plum Jam or Plum Sauce - This is the signature finish in our family's version. One or two spoonfuls stirred in at the end balance the acidity of the tomato paste and the earthiness of the beet. I've used everything from thick Eastern European jams to Chinese plum sauce, anything that's sweet, tart, and fruit-forward will work.

See the recipe card for full list and exact quantities.

How to Make Chicken Borscht with Plum Jam Recipe

This chicken borscht takes time, but every step builds a broth that holds together the sweetness of vegetables, the depth of slow cooking, and the quiet comfort of something familiar. Here's how to make this recipe:

Start the Chicken Broth

Place the whole chicken breast, green onions, peeled onions, allspice berries, black peppercorns, and bay leaves into a large soup pot. Tie the parsley and dill into a small bundle with one of the stems and add it to the pot. Pour in about 8 cups of water, cover, and bring to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Chop the Beet

While the broth cooks, peel and finely chop the beet. Keep the pieces small so they tint the broth evenly without overpowering it.

Add the Beet to the Pot

After the broth has simmered for 30 minutes, stir in the chopped beet. Simmer for 15 more minutes to let the color deepen.

Prepare and Add the Potatoes and Cabbage

Peel the potatoes and chop them into medium chunks. Finely slice the cabbage. Add both to the pot and cook for 30 minutes, stirring gently every now and then to prevent sticking.

Add the First Round of Carrots and Onion

Chop three of the carrots and one onion. Stir them into the pot and cook for another 10 minutes. The soup will start to take on more sweetness at this stage.

Sauté the Remaining Vegetables

Finely chop the remaining carrot and onion. In a skillet, heat a spoonful of chicken fat or vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped onion for about 5 to 7 minutes, until golden. Add the carrot and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't brown too quickly.

Stir in the Tomato Paste

Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook everything together for 3 minutes. The mixture should darken slightly and thicken as it cooks.

Add to the Soup and Finish Cooking

Transfer the sautéed mixture to the soup pot. Stir everything together and cook for a final 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let the soup cool slightly.

Let the Soup Rest

Cover the pot and refrigerate the borscht for at least 10 hours or overnight. This resting time allows the flavors to settle and deepen.

Finish with Plum Jam and Serve

Before serving, gently reheat the borscht. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of plum jam or plum sauce, if using. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh dill or parsley. Add a spoonful of sour cream, if desired.

Storage

Once the chicken borscht has cooled, I transfer it into a large glass container. When stored in an airtight container, chicken borscht keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. In fact, it's even better on the second or third day.

If you'd like to freeze some, do it before stirring in the plum jam. The soup freezes well for up to a month, though I usually portion it into single servings first to make reheating easier. When it's time to warm it back up, I use the stovetop over low heat and stir gently, sometimes adding a splash of water if it's gotten too thick.

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