Hollandse Kippesoep (Spiced Chicken Soup)
Submitted by ginaseppo
Dutch spiced chicken soup (Hollandse Kippesoep) slow-simmered with mace, cloves, rosemary, and thyme. Rich bone broth with vermicelli and tender pulled chicken.
Hollandse Kippesoep is the Dutch take on chicken soup, and the difference is in the spice. Where most chicken soups lean on basic herbs, this one brings mace, whole cloves studded into an onion, rosemary, and thyme for a fragrant, warmly spiced broth you won’t find in any American can.
The method is old-school and unhurried. A whole cut-up chicken simmers low for five hours until the meat falls off the bone and the broth turns golden and deeply flavored. You strain it through cheesecloth for a clean, clear stock, then finish with vermicelli and the pulled chicken stirred back in.
That long simmer is what separates this from a weeknight shortcut soup. The collagen from the bones gives the broth real body, and the fat skimming step keeps it clean-tasting.
Kitchen Tips
- Blanching the chicken in boiling water first (as directed) removes impurities and gives you a clearer broth. Don’t skip that initial step.
- Let the broth cool before skimming fat. The fat solidifies on top and lifts off easily.
- Strain through cheesecloth, not just a sieve. It catches the fine sediment that makes broth cloudy.
- Cook the vermicelli directly in the broth so it absorbs flavor, but add it only when you’re ready to serve. It gets mushy if it sits too long.
Variations
- Indonesian twist: Add a stalk of lemongrass and a sliced bird’s eye chili for a Dutch-Indonesian fusion that’s popular in the Netherlands.
- Heartier version: Stir in diced potatoes or leeks during the last 20 minutes of simmering.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pot, place chicken.
Pour in enough boiling water to cover; bring to a boil over high heat.
Remove chicken to a clean pot.
Stud onion with cloves and add to chicken along with bay leaves, ½ teaspoons salt, thyme, rosemary, mace, pepper, celery, parsley sprigs and carrots.
Pour in 12 cups cold water.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 5 hours, or until meat comes away from the bones.
Let cool and skim off fat.
Strain through cheesecloth lined sieve.
Remove meat from bones, chop and set aside.
Return chicken stock to a clean pot and bring to a boil.
Add vermicelli.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Return chicken and remaining salt to pot.
Cook just until heated through.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with chopped parsley.
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