Chicken Soup Recipe: Afghan Aush Noodle Delight – Try It

Picture this: you step inside on a chilly evening and your friend hands you a steaming bowl of their family’s chicken soup recipe. That’s how I first tasted Aush, the Afghan noodle soup loved for generations and celebrated across Iran and Afghanistan. It’s rich and aromatic yet surprisingly easy. Curious? Let’s cook this comforting dish together and discover why it’s so special.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 lb (450 g) boneless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite‑sized pieces
• 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 can kidney beans (15 oz/425 g), drained and rinsed
• 1 can chickpeas (15 oz/425 g), with liquid
• 175 g spaghetti or egg noodles, broken into 2–3 inch pieces
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp dried mint
• Additional chili flakes for garnish

Directions

1. Sauté the aromatics:Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and cook until no longer pink.
2. Season the chicken:Sprinkle in salt, black pepper, coriander, garlic powder, paprika and chili flakes. Stir for a minute to toast the spices.
3. Create the base: Push the chicken to one side, add tomato paste to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Stir everything together, then pour in 1 ladle of broth and simmer until the oil separates.
4. Simmer the soup: Add the remaining chicken broth, chopped dill, kidney beans and chickpeas with their liquid. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
5. Prepare the yogurt sauce: In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and water. Remove 3 tbsp of this yogurt into a small bowl.
6. Temper the yogurt: After simmering, mix 2 tbsp of hot soup broth into the small bowl of yogurt to temper it, then pour it back into the soup and stir to combine.
7. Cook the noodles: Add broken spaghetti to the soup and cook for 10–15 minutes until the noodles are tender[5].
8. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, top with dollops of yogurt, sprinkle with dried mint and extra chili flakes, and enjoy.