Romanian Chicken and Spinach Ciorbă

A Bowl of Sour, Silky Romanian Comfort

Ciorbă — Romania’s beloved category of sour soups — is one of the great unsung staples of Eastern European cooking. Unlike a simple broth or a cream-laden chowder, ciorbă occupies a singular niche: bright with acidity, deeply savoury from long-simmered vegetables, and finished with a velvety egg-and-dairy liaison that gives the broth a gentle richness without excess fat. Every Romanian family has its own version, its own souring agent of choice, and its own memory tied to the smell of a pot simmering on the stove.

This particular ciorbă combines tender chicken thighs — far more flavourful and forgiving than breast meat — with a generous handful of fresh baby spinach and the classic aromatic base of carrot, celery, onion, and parsnip. The souring agent here is fresh lemon juice, the most accessible option outside Romania, where borș (fermented wheat bran liquid) is traditionally used. The result is bright, warming, and completely satisfying: a full meal in a bowl that clocks in under 300 calories per serving.

From a nutritional standpoint, this ciorbă is a genuinely smart dinner choice. Chicken thighs deliver close to 28 grams of protein per portion to support muscle maintenance and satiety. The spinach contributes iron, folate, and fibre, while the root vegetables provide slow-releasing carbohydrates and beta-carotene. The egg yolk and sour cream add a small amount of healthy fat to help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins from the vegetables — every element earns its place in the pot.

Serving Ideas

Serve the ciorbă in deep bowls with a thick slice of sourdough or Romanian country bread (pâine de casă) for dipping. A small side of pickled green tomatoes or fermented cucumber slices (murături) is a traditional Romanian accompaniment and adds a probiotic element to the meal. A light sprinkle of chilli flakes suits those who prefer a gentle warmth.

For a lower-carb dinner, skip the bread entirely — the soup is substantial enough on its own. You can also stir an extra handful of spinach into each bowl just before serving for added volume and nutrients without affecting the calorie count meaningfully.

Storage and Variations

Storage: Allow the ciorbă to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over a low flame and do not boil, as the egg-and-sour-cream base can separate at high temperatures. This soup also freezes well before adding the egg yolk and sour cream mixture — freeze the plain broth with chicken and vegetables, then prepare the liaison fresh when reheating.

Variations:

• Traditional borș version: If you can source borș (fermented wheat bran water, sometimes available in Polish or Romanian delicatessens), replace the lemon juice and zest with 200ml of borș, added towards the end of cooking. The sourness is more complex and rounded.
• Extra vegetables: Diced courgette or green peas can be added in the last 5 minutes of simmering for more colour and fibre.
• Dairy-free: Omit the sour cream and egg yolk entirely and increase the lemon juice slightly. The soup will be thinner but still delicious and drops further in calories.
• Rice addition: Stir in 40g of uncooked long-grain rice along with the stock for a heartier, more traditional ciorbă cu orez — note this will increase the carbohydrate and calorie count per serving.