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Indian

Murgh shorba

Non-vegetarian

मुर्ग़ शोरबा · murġ śorbā

A clear, gently spiced chicken broth simmered with whole spices, ginger and garlic, served with shreds of the chicken, lemon and fresh mint. A classic Indian remedy for colds.

Murgh shorba is an Indian soup, ready in about 1 hour 15 minutes and made with chicken pieces, skin-on and black pepper. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
1 h
Total
1 h 15 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
262

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the ghee (opens in a new tab) in a large pot and fry the onion (opens in a new tab) until light golden. Add the ginger, garlic (opens in a new tab) and all the whole spices and stir for a minute until fragrant.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Add the chicken and turmeric (opens in a new tab) and stir for 3 minutes, then pour in the water and salt. Bring to the boil and skim off any foam.

    • 8 min
    • high heat

    Food safety: Wash hands, boards and knives after handling raw chicken.

  3. Step 3

    Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer gently until the chicken falls off the bone and the broth tastes rich.

    • 45 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Chicken must reach at least 74 °C and the meat should come away easily from the bone.

  4. Step 4

    Lift out the chicken, strip the meat into shreds and discard the bones. Strain the broth through a sieve, return the shredded meat and adjust the salt.

    Liquid being strained through a sieve
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Stir in the lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and serve with mint (opens in a new tab) and coriander.

      A finished dish being plated
      How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    North India, India · Commonly attributedMughlai-influenced home soup found across North India.Also popular in PakistanMore food from India
    Dish
    Lunch · Dinner · Soups
    Cooking method
    Simmered, Boiled
    Taste
    savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced, peppery, mild
    Diet
    No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
    All labelsNon-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
    With the listed swaps: Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    One-pot · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
    Cook more with
    Chicken pieces, skin-on · Ghee · Onion · Fresh ginger · Garlic · Bay leaves
    Techniques
    Boiling · Simmering · Stock making

    Allergens

    • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom ghee

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    262 kcal per serving

    Calculated

    1 serving ≈ 518 g · recipe makes 4

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 28%
    • Carbohydrate 10%
    • Fat 61%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy262 kcal51 kcal
    Protein18.6 g3.6 g
    Carbohydrate6.8 g1.3 g
    Net carbohydrate5.2 g1 g
    Sugars1.4 g0.3 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre1.6 g0.3 g
    Fat17.9 g3.5 g
    Saturated fat6.2 g1.2 g
    Trans fat0.1 g0 g
    Cholesterol80 mg15 mg
    Sodium806 mg156 mg
    Salt equivalent2 g0.4 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    284 mg
    Calcium
    81 mg
    Iron
    1.4 mg
    Magnesium
    37 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    68 µg
    Vitamin C
    7 mg
    Vitamin D
    0.2 µg
    Vitamin B12
    0.3 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    13 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: mint, coriander leaves.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Simmer, don't boil hard, for a clearer broth.

    Common mistakes

    • Adding lemon juice before reheating — it turns bitter if boiled; add it at the table.

    Serve with

    • Sip from mugs on a cold evening, or serve with steamed rice for a light meal.

    Storage

    • Keeps 3 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.

    Reheating

    • Bring back to a simmer until piping hot; add lemon and herbs after reheating.

    Variations

    • Creamy murgh shorba: Whisk 2 tbsp cream or a spoon of cashew paste into the strained broth for a richer restaurant version.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    Used in steps 1, 2

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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