If you’ve ever found yourself battling a winter cold, nursing a sore head after a big night out, or simply missing the taste of home, there’s one remedy that Croatian grannies and Aussie-Croats alike swear by: juha od piletine — chicken soup.
Let’s be honest, chicken soup isn’t just food. It’s medicine, therapy, and love in a bowl. The warmth of a homemade dish that people cherish. The remedy your baka made when you looked a bit pale. The comfort your mum cooked after rakija got the better of you. And in every Croatian household across Australia, it still proudly appears every Sunday. And yes — Vegeta is always in there.
From the Homeland to the Land Down Under
In a recent (highly scientific and very reliable) Facebook poll of Croatian Australians in Sydney, Melbourne, and beyond, we asked: What makes the perfect chicken soup? The results were as expected:
100% said Vegeta is a must.
95% insisted on using ‘a lot of chicken – not just bones!’ for a truly hearty chicken soup.
80% said homemade noodles or fine soup pasta are essential.
60% admitted it’s their go-to after a night of too much wine or beer.
And one cheeky uncle wrote: “Add rakija – to you, not the soup.”
Why It Works Every Time
There’s just something about that golden, fragrant broth. It smells like home. It tastes like care. It’s packed with goodness — chicken fat (the real kind!), vegetables, and that magical yellow powder called Vegeta, which somehow contains all the Slavic healing powers of 1,000 grandmothers who perfected chicken soup.
The Recipe: Croatian-Aussie Chicken Soup
Here’s how most Croatian households in Australia make it — passed down, adjusted slightly, but never without heart:
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken or a mix of thighs, drumsticks, and wings (with skin and bones!)
2 carrots, sliced
1-2 parsnips (or a bit of turnip if you’re improvising)
1 onion, whole and unpeeled (cut in half for color)
A chunk of celery root (or stalks if you can’t find it)
Salt, pepper, and of course — 1 tbsp of Vegeta (or more if you’re feeling emotional)
Handful of fine soup noodles or griz knedle (semolina dumplings) if you’re fancy
Fresh parsley for garnish
Method:
Throw everything into a big pot. Cover with cold water to start your chicken soup.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for at least 1.5 to 2 hours. Skim off any foam that comes up — baka would not approve of a cloudy broth.
Remove the chicken, strain the soup if you like it clear, and adjust seasoning.
Boil noodles separately and serve in the hot broth with chopped parsley.
Chicken can be served on the side with a bit of mustard and bread, or shredded into the soup.
Optional: Add love, and a hangover, for best results.
More Than Just Soup
Whether you grew up in Rijeka or Rockdale, Slavonski Brod or St Albans, chicken soup is more than a dish — it’s an identity. It reminds us of the countless childhood meals shared with family. It’s the taste of childhood Sundays, family gatherings, and a way of life that stretches across continents.
And as one respondent in our poll put it: “If you don’t have chicken soup on the stove, are you even Croatian?”
Canned Soup? From a Sachet?! Ajme, ne!
Look, we’re not here to judge… but if you’re reaching for chicken soup in a can or one of those powdered sachets, just know that somewhere in Croatia, a grandmother has dropped her rolling pin in shock.
Those packet soups might look like juha, and they might smell okay after a big night out… but they don’t have that “my-baka-simmered-this-for-hours-while-wearing-aprons-and-judging-you” flavor.
Homemade is the only real cure — especially if it includes a whole chicken, 3 liters of water, and a tablespoon of emotional support (aka Vegeta).
Optional Tips:
Add a dash of lemon juice if you’re feeling under the weather.
Save the boiled chicken to serve with mustard and crusty bread.
Best enjoyed in pyjamas, with slippers, and a side of family gossip.
Good for:
Cold & flu season
Sunday lunch
Day after too many drinks
When you miss your baka
“Stara koka, dobra juha” – The Soup and the Gossip
Ah yes, the legendary Croatian saying:
“Stara koka, dobra juha.”
Literally: “Old hen, good soup.”
Figuratively? Let’s just say… it’s not always about poultry.
Yes, it’s true — if you want real depth of flavor, you go for the older chicken. Slow-simmered, full of character, and full of, well, life experience. More time cooking brings out rich flavors in your chicken soup.
But let’s not ignore the other meaning:
Croatians also use it as a cheeky compliment about women of a certain age. Think: classy, wise, and still hot — just like the soup.
So next time someone calls you a “stara koka,” don’t be offended. Just wink and say:
“Exactly. I make a damn good soup.”