Chicken of The Woods Minestra Soup

A rich and hearty minestra soup with chicken of the woods mushroom (Laetiporus spp.), vegetables, smoked pork ribs and homemade dumplings. Perfect for a cozy late summer dinner, this soup will hug you like the warmth of the last sunny days.

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A rustic minestra soup with chicken of the woods mushrooms

Chicken of the Woods species (what you see is Laetiporus sulphureus) are actually mushrooms that even people who don’t like mushrooms usually enjoy. Why? Because their texture and flavor are surprisingly close to chicken breast – firm, meaty, and mild. That gentle taste is probably why it’s not always listed among the “top gourmet” mushrooms, but it does taste absolutely delicious when you cook it right.

You’ll often see it growing on old willow stumps or even on living willows, slowly breaking the tree down. It isn’t picky, though. It also grows on oak (these are the best), poplar, black locust, and even plum trees. With its bold orange color and wide, fan-shaped clusters, it’s one of the easiest mushrooms to find.

A single tree can give you quite a haul. We made a wonderful preserved chicken of the woods mushroom dessert and a crispy chicken of the woods crinkle pie from the same batch. And what’s best is that here are no poisonous look-alikes, which also makes it one of the safest wild mushrooms to forage.

Indeed, we thought just a soup with these mushrooms would be a bit plain, so we mixed it into a hearty minestra (often also called corba in the Balkans). It’s packed with seasonal vegetables, beans, sweet corn, and just enough smoked bacon to give it depth and a little of that “uh oh” factor.

This minestra soup is also wonderfully forgiving and adaptable. You can toss in whatever’s growing in the garden or sitting in the fridge. A true one-pot, no-fuss meal. And when you finish it with a few soft dumplings, it becomes the ultimate late-summer comfort food.

If you’ve tried our ricet, you’ll probably love this soup too. It’s much richer than a basic mushroom soup, and all it really needs is a few slices of homemade bread to make it a complete, charming rustic meal.

Ready to give it a try? Let’s see how this wonderful chicken of the woods minestra soup comes together.

What you’ll need to make it

CHICKEN OF THE WOODS – Pick young mushrooms. As they age, they turn tough and lose their good flavor. Ours was right on the edge; if we had found it just a few days later, it wouldn’t have been worth cooking.

POTATOES – Add as many as you like. For a thicker soup, cut them into smaller cubes so they cook faster and release that starchy goodness into the broth.

SMOKED RIBS – Optional, but highly recommended. They give minestra a wonderful smoky depth. Still, with plenty of vegetables and the mushroom, the soup will be delicious even without them.

CARROTS – A couple of carrots, sliced thin, add both sweetness and a bright color to the pot.

CAULIFLOWER – Pairs beautifully with chicken of the woods, but don’t stop there. Anything you have will work – broccoli, kohlrabi, zucchini, or whatever’s in the garden or fridge all fit right in.

TOMATOES – Two medium ones are enough to round out the flavor and give the broth some real rustic richness.

CORN – We used cooked corn and added it at the very end. If you’re working with fresh corn, add it earlier with the rest of the vegetables.

BEANS – Same rule as corn. If you’re using dried beans, it’s best to cook them separately with a bay leaf and stir them in once tender.

ONION – One medium onion is plenty to give the soup sweetness and depth.

GARLIC – Don’t skip it. Garlic is essential in a good minestra soup.

PARSLEY ROOT – Adds gentle sweetness, earthy depth, and a fresh, herbal aroma.

FLOUR – For the dumplings only. Use corn or buckwheat flour if you’d like to keep the soup gluten-free.

EGGS – Also for the dumplings. If possible, use free-range eggs for richer flavor and beautiful color.

OLIVE OIL – This can be replaced with sunflower oil, butter or lard (as it’s often done in the Balkans).

SALT & BLACK PEPPER – With the vegetables, mushrooms, and smoked ribs, the soup already carries plenty of aroma. You don’t need any extra spices; the basics are enough.

MARJORAM – The one exception. Its warm, slightly sweet, citrusy note brightens the whole soup.

BAY LEAF – Easy to forget, but don’t leave it out. It not only adds depth of flavor but also helps keep beans easier to digest.

The recipe

STEP 1: Clean the chicken of the woods and cut it into smaller pieces, or simply pull it apart into natural slices. This is a sturdy mushroom, so there’s no need to treat it as delicately as porcini or black trumpets. It won’t soak up much water, which means you can wash it without worry.

At the same time, chop the onion, crush the garlic, and slice the smoked ribs into smaller chunks or strips.

STEP 2: Grab a big cooking pot; you’ll need the room since everything looks like a mountain of food at the start. Warm up a spoonful of olive oil and toss in the onion. Let it sizzle until it softens and turns golden. Now add the chicken of the woods, garlic, and smoked ribs. Give it all a good stir and let it fry together for just a minute or two to bring out those flavors.

STEP 3: While that’s cooking, chop up the rest of the vegetables. Potatoes and cauliflower can be cut into larger cubes if you prefer a chunkier soup, while the tomatoes and carrots are best sliced into smaller pieces so they soften nicely in the broth.

STEP 4: Add all the chopped vegetables to the pot and stir them well, mixing them through the mushrooms and smoked ribs so everything comes together.

STEP 5: Pour in just enough water to cover everything in the pot – you can always add more later if needed. Season with a sprinkle of salt, black pepper, and marjoram, then drop in a bay leaf for extra flavor.

STEP 6: When the soup comes to a boil, turn the heat down low and let it simmer for about 40 minutes with the lid on. Do pop back now and then to give it a gentle stir. After that, when it looks like done, check the carrots and parsley root – if they’re soft and cooked through, stir in the beans and corn (unless you added fresh young corn earlier).

STEP 7: Now it’s time to make the dumplings. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork, then add the flour and a pinch of salt. A fork does the job perfectly and saves you from extra dishes later.

STEP 8: Make sure the soup is gently boiling before you add the dumplings. Take small bits of batter (about a third of a teaspoon each) and drop them in as quickly as you can. Let them cook for around three minutes, or simply watch for the moment they float to the top. That’s when you know they’re ready.

STEP 9: And that’s it, my dear home cook; your soup with chicken of the woods is ready! All that’s left is to fish out the bay leaf and, if you like, scatter some fresh chopped parsley over the top. Grab a bowl and enjoy every cozy spoonful!

What to pair your soup with

• Homemade bread. This soup is so rich and hearty that all it really needs is a good slice of homemade bread on the side. Try it with buckwheat bread with walnuts, buckwheat soda bread or a quick polenta bread that you can bake while the minestra is simmering.
• Wine. A crisp white, like a dry Riesling, pairs beautifully with this minestra, cutting through the richness and keeping it fresh. Or, if you prefer red, a glass of Slovenian Teran brings a deeper, earthy note that matches the smoky flavors perfectly.
• Dessert. To end on a sweet note, go with something seasonal. A slice of plum strudel, juicy tufahije, rich plum cheesecake, or pear strudel will turn this minestra into a delicious, rustic, homemade feast.

Tasty tweaks and additions

Use all the mushrooms you found. If you’re out foraging, keep an eye out for chanterelles or black trumpets. Both are in season around the same time and add even more depth to the soup.

Swap the smoked ribs. Carniolan sausage or chunks of smoked pork work just as well as ribs. For a vegetarian version, simply leave the meat out.

Add extra vegetables. Minestra is never fussy. Whatever’s in the garden or hiding in the fridge will blend right in. You can even toss in fruit like pears for a subtle sweetness.

Make it gluten-free. The dumplings are the only part of this recipe with gluten. Swap in buckwheat or corn flour and you’ll have hearty gluten-free dumplings with the same cozy feel.

Make it vegan. Skip the meat and dumplings, and you’ll have a fully plant-based minestra that’s just as hearty and flavorful.

Tips and notes

Use young chicken of the woods mushrooms. Older ones turn tough, almost like styrofoam, and lose their flavor. Pick them while the edges are still rounded and tender.

Simmer the soup long enough. Chicken of the woods contains oxalic acid, so it needs to simmer for at least 20 minutes to be entirely safe and pleasant to eat.

Add quick-cooking ingredients later. Carrots and potatoes require time to simmer, but beans, corn, and dumplings should be added toward the end. Remember: the smaller the pieces, the faster they cook.

Simmer slowly. Minestra is at its best when it bubbles gently over low heat. That slow simmer lets every ingredient release its full aroma and flavor.

Thicken with potatoes. For a heartier soup, mash a few spoonfuls of cooked potatoes and stir them back into the pot. It makes it creamy without changing the taste.

Storage

This soup will keep for a short while, but not too long. Like all mushrooms, chicken of the woods contains proteins that break down when reheated, which can cause stomach issues for sensitive people.

For the same reason, it’s not a good idea to freeze the finished soup. Instead, blanch the mushrooms and freeze them on their own. That way, you can cook up a fresh batch of minestra whenever you want.

If you’re using frozen chicken of the woods, there’s no need to thaw; just drop the mushrooms straight into the pot.

More wild mushroom recipes

• Sweet chicken of the woods dessert preserves
• Chicken of the woods crinkle pie
• Bulgur risotto with chanterelles
• Black trumpet risotto
• Black trumpet mushroom jam
• Saffron milk cap mushroom pate
• Saffron milk cap tartlets
• Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms
• Pizza with porcini

Chicken of the woods soup FAQs

Chicken of the woods minestra was featured at My Wee Abode and This is My Everybody and Simple Life Mom’s blog.

If you made this soup recipe, let us know! Drop a comment below – we’d love to hear how yours turned out!

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