Name: Bori-Bori Chicken Dumpling Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Paraguayan
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lb / 1.6 kg), cut into 8 pieces; 9 cups cold water; 1 large onion, quartered; 2 bay leaves; 1 tbsp kosher salt; 6 whole black peppercorns; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 large onion, finely diced; 1 red bell pepper, finely diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 medium tomatoes, chopped; 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into half-moons; 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 small zucchini, sliced into half-moons; 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal; 1/2 cup fresh queso fresco or farmer's cheese, crumbled; 1 large egg; 2 tbsp softened unsalted butter; 1/2 tsp fine salt; 2 to 3 tbsp cold water, as needed; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped; 3 scallions, thinly sliced; 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

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Bori-Bori is Paraguay's beloved national comfort food: a fragrant chicken broth studded with marble-sized cornmeal and cheese dumplings that soften as they simmer. Each spoonful delivers tender chicken, vegetables, and the slightly grainy, comforting dumplings that give the soup its name. It is simple, hearty, and deeply homey.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time75 mins

Servings6

Yield6 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

430 kcalCalories
16 gFat
5 gSaturated Fat
38 gCarbs
4 gFiber
6 gSugar
33 gProtein
720 mgSodium
780 mgPotassium
180 mgCalcium
3.5 mgIron
22 mgVitamin C
380 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the chicken broth

1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lb / 1.6 kg), cut into 8 pieces
9 cups cold water
1 large onion, quartered
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp kosher salt
6 whole black peppercorns

For the sofrito and vegetables

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into half-moons
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 small zucchini, sliced into half-moons

For the bori-bori dumplings

1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup fresh queso fresco or farmer's cheese, crumbled
1 large egg
2 tbsp softened unsalted butter
1/2 tsp fine salt
2 to 3 tbsp cold water, as needed

For finishing

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

Directions

Place the chicken pieces, water, quartered onion, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam from the surface and cook uncovered for 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Remove the chicken pieces with tongs and set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding the solids, and return the broth to the pot. Shred the chicken meat, discarding skin and bones, and reserve.
While the broth simmers, make the dumplings: in a medium bowl, stir together the cornmeal, crumbled cheese, egg, butter, and salt with a fork. Add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently, until a soft, pliable dough forms that holds together when pinched (it should not be sticky).
Pinch off small pieces of dough, about 1 teaspoon each, and roll between your palms into marble-sized balls. You should have 40 to 50 dumplings; set them on a plate.
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and chopped tomatoes and cook another 3 minutes, until the tomatoes break down into a chunky sauce.
Pour the sofrito into the strained broth, then add the carrots, potatoes, and zucchini. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender.
Drop the dumplings into the gently simmering soup one at a time, stirring very gently to prevent sticking. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dumplings float to the surface and feel firm but tender when pierced with a knife.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and warm through for 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and scallions, season with black pepper, and taste for salt.
Ladle the soup into deep bowls, making sure each serving gets a generous amount of dumplings, chicken, and vegetables. Serve hot with lime wedges and crusty bread on the side.

Cook’s Notes

Traditional Paraguayan dumplings are quite small, about the size of a hazelnut — keeping them small is what gives bori-bori its signature texture in every spoonful.
If you cannot find queso fresco, rinsed and crumbled feta or even mild ricotta works; just make sure it is not too salty or too wet.
Do not overwork the dumpling dough or the dumplings will turn tough; mix only until the ingredients just come together.
The soup thickens as it sits because the cornmeal dumplings release starch into the broth; loosen leftover soup with a splash of water or extra broth when reheating.
For an even richer flavor, briefly char the tomatoes and bell pepper over an open flame before chopping and adding to the sofrito.

DinnerSavoureux