Hungarian Chicken Soup with Vermicelli (Tyúkhúsleves Cérnametélttel) 🇭🇺
The soup shown in the image is Tyúkhúsleves Cérnametélttel, Hungary’s most iconic and beloved chicken soup. Made with a whole chicken, fresh root vegetables, aromatic herbs, and delicate vermicelli noodles, this comforting soup has been a centerpiece of Hungarian family meals for centuries.
In Hungary, Tyúkhúsleves is much more than an ordinary soup. It is traditionally served on Sundays, holidays, weddings, Easter, Christmas, and special family gatherings. Nearly every Hungarian household has its own treasured recipe, carefully passed down through generations.
The secret to authentic Hungarian chicken soup lies in patience. The broth is slowly simmered for several hours, allowing the chicken, vegetables, and herbs to create a crystal-clear, golden broth that is rich in flavor without becoming heavy. Thin vermicelli noodles, known as cérnametélt, are cooked separately and added just before serving to keep them perfectly tender.
Served with slices of cooked carrot, parsley root, chicken meat, and fresh parsley, this timeless soup represents warmth, hospitality, and the heart of Hungarian home cooking.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Authentic Hungarian family recipe
Crystal-clear, flavorful broth
Light yet incredibly satisfying
Perfect for Sunday lunch
Comforting and nourishing
Great for cold weather or when feeling under the weather
Easy to prepare with simple ingredients
Freezer-friendly
Rich in protein
A true taste of traditional Hungary
Ingredients
For the Soup
1 whole chicken (about 3–4 pounds / 1.5–2 kg)
3 quarts (3 liters) cold water
3 large carrots
2 parsley roots or parsnips
¼ celery root (celeriac)
1 medium onion, peeled
3 garlic cloves
1 small piece of kohlrabi (optional)
1 small piece of cabbage (optional)
1 green bell pepper
1 tomato
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves (optional)
1 small bunch fresh parsley
Salt to taste
For the Noodles
8 ounces (225g) fine vermicelli noodles (cérnametélt)
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
