Go Back
–+ servings
Begova čorba with chicken, okra, and root vegetables in a lightly thickened broth

Begova Čorba (Bosnian Chicken and Okra Soup)

No ratings yet
Share Print Save Recipe
Prep 25 minutes
Cook 1 hour 15 minutes
Okra soaking 30 minutes
Total 2 hours 10 minutes
A gently thickened Bosnian chicken soup with dried okra, root vegetables, a pale butter-and-flour roux, parsley, and lemon. This version uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs and contains no cream, egg yolks, or rice.
Servings 6 servings
Course Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine Bosnian

Ingredients

Dried okra soak
  • 2.8 oz plain dried okra small whole pods for cooking; dry weight without any string
  • 3 1/4 cups hot water for soaking; not actively boiling; discard after soaking
  • 4 tsp fresh lemon juice for soaking; discard with the soaking liquid
Chicken broth
  • 1.1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs leave the pieces whole for simmering
  • 6 1/3 cups cold water for the broth; separate from the soaking water
  • 5.3 oz onion peeled and halved; remove after simmering
  • 7.1 oz carrots peeled weight; cut into large pieces
  • 3.5 oz celeriac celery root; peeled weight; cut into large pieces
  • 2.8 oz parsley root peeled weight; cut into large pieces; not parsley leaves or parsnip
  • 1 clove garlic peeled and lightly crushed; about 5 g per clove; remove after simmering
  • 1 bay leaf remove after simmering
  • 1 2/3 tsp fine salt US volume assumes fine table salt; weigh the Metric amount for other salt types
Pale roux and finishing
  • 2 tbsp butter US volume rounded; use Metric weight for the precise amount
  • 3 1/4 tbsp all-purpose flour spooned and leveled; US volume approximate
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper approximate volume; grind size affects measurement
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice for the finished soup; separate from the discarded soaking juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley washed, dried, and finely chopped

Equipment

  • Soup pot with a lid at least 4 liters for the base recipe; allow headroom and increase capacity or use comparable pots for larger batches
  • Kitchen scale recommended for dried okra, roots, flour, butter, and salt
  • Large heatproof soaking bowl for the dried okra
  • Fine-mesh strainer and large heatproof bowl to strain and reserve the hot broth safely
  • Whisk, slotted spoon, and ladle for the roux, lifting ingredients, and serving
  • Instant-read food thermometer to check chicken and reheated soup
Start Cooking

Method

  1. Soak the dried okra. Place the dried okra in a heatproof bowl. Add the soaking water while hot but no longer actively boiling, then add the soaking lemon juice. Keep the pods submerged and soak for 30 minutes.
  2. Drain and remove the string. Drain the okra into a strainer and discard all soaking liquid. Rinse briefly under cool running water and drain gently without squeezing the softened pods. If the okra was threaded, carefully slide every pod off and remove all pieces of string.
  3. Prepare the vegetables and chicken. Cut the peeled carrots, celeriac, and parsley root into large pieces. Halve the peeled onion and lightly crush the peeled garlic. Leave the boneless, skinless chicken thighs whole. Do not rinse raw chicken; keep its utensils separate from herbs and ready-to-eat foods, and wash hands and clean surfaces after handling.
  4. Start the broth. Place the chicken, onion, carrots, celeriac, parsley root, and garlic in a suitable soup pot. Add the bay leaf, broth salt, and cold broth water. Heat slowly over medium-high heat, skimming foam from the surface.
  5. Simmer and check the chicken. As the broth reaches a boil, reduce the heat and set the lid slightly ajar. Simmer gently for about 40 minutes, avoiding a rolling boil. Check the center of the thickest chicken piece with a clean thermometer: it must reach at least 165°F (74°C). Continue cooking if needed; the vegetables should also be tender.
  6. Reserve the broth. Lift the cooked chicken and the carrots, celeriac, and parsley root onto a clean plate. Discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Carefully strain the broth into a large heatproof bowl and keep it hot. Briefly rinse and dry the soup pot.
  7. Shred and dice. Let the cooked chicken cool only enough to handle safely, then shred with two forks into bite-size pieces. Dice the cooked carrots, celeriac, and parsley root into roughly 1/4-inch (5–8 mm) pieces. Continue the preparation promptly.
  8. Make a pale roux. Melt the butter in the cleaned pot over low to medium heat. Whisk in all the flour and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Keep the mixture pale; do not let it brown or scorch.
  9. Whisk in the broth. Add a small portion of the hot reserved broth while whisking continuously until smooth. Add another portion and whisk again. Continue gradually with the rest of the broth, then bring the smooth mixture back to a gentle simmer, stirring along the bottom.
  10. Cook the soaked okra. Add the drained okra to the thickened broth. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, stirring carefully from time to time to prevent sticking. The pods should soften while retaining their shape. If still firm, continue gently and check again rather than assuming soaking alone cooked them.
  11. Return the chicken and roots. Add the shredded chicken and diced carrots, celeriac, and parsley root. Stir in the black pepper and heat gently for about 5 minutes, until everything is hot throughout. Avoid vigorous boiling or crushing the okra.
  12. Finish with lemon and parsley. Stir in the finishing lemon juice. Add about two-thirds of the chopped parsley and reserve the rest for serving. Taste the broth before making any further seasoning adjustment. The soup should be lightly thickened and gently tangy, not gluey or sharply sour.
  13. Serve and store safely. Divide the soup evenly into the listed servings and sprinkle with the reserved parsley. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below, use within 2 days, and reheat throughout to 165°F (74°C).

Notes

  • Dried okra: Use plain, unseasoned whole dried pods intended for cooking, not fried snack chips. Fresh or frozen okra is not a same-weight replacement. Soak as directed, remove all string, discard the soaking liquid, rinse briefly, then cook the drained okra in the thickened soup. Do not combine this method with a separate preboiling step.
  • Chicken and broth: The formula uses boneless, skinless thigh meat and cold water. Bone-in chicken, breast meat, or salted commercial stock changes the preparation or seasoning and is not an interchangeable instruction in this card.
  • Roux: Keep the butter-and-flour mixture pale. Gradually whisk in the reserved broth before adding the okra. No cream, sour cream, egg yolk, potato, or rice is included in this version.
  • Timing: The total is a conservative sequential allowance for preparation, soaking, and cooking. Some vegetable preparation can overlap the soak, but a shorter overlapping schedule has not been kitchen-tested here. Drying method and pod size can change the time needed for okra to soften.
  • Portions: Divide the finished soup evenly into the listed number of servings. Final volume varies with evaporation; an exact milliliter yield has not been independently measured.
  • US measures: US weights and volumes are rounded equivalents. The butter tablespoon measure and spice volumes are approximate; switch to Metric and weigh ingredients for the precise formula. Parsley root means the root vegetable, not parsley leaves or an automatic parsnip substitution.
  • Food safety: Chicken must reach at least 165°F (74°C) at the center of the thickest piece. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 2 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C) throughout. Do not wait for a deep pot to become completely cold on the counter.
  • Nutrition: A complete estimate has not been supplied because a suitable verified composition record for the specific plain dried okra and retention from discarded aromatics and soaking liquid have not been established. Values for fresh okra, fried okra snacks, or the source recipe's calorie figure have not been substituted.