Vori Vori de Pollo (Chicken Dumpling Soup) is a traditional Paraguayan soup made with chicken, vegetables, and small precooked cornmeal dumplings simmered in a savory broth.
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This Paraguayan Vori Vori de Pollo recipe is simple and easy to make. It features a whole chicken and savory dumplings cooked in a rich, flavorful broth with fresh vegetables.
Perfect for chilly days, it has become one of our favorite chicken soups at home. You can also customize it with your favorite vegetables or seasonings.
Ingredients You'll Need
Note: Full ingredients and amounts are listed in the recipe card below.
- Precooked white cornmeal: Traditionally, vori vori is made with harina de maiz paraguaya precocida (Paraguayan precooked cornmeal), but since it's hard to find outside Paraguay, I use P.A.N. It comes in both white and yellow varieties. Either works, but I prefer the white for its milder, more balanced flavor, as I find the yellow slightly bitter. Maseca also works well.
- Cheese: Traditionally, vori vori dumplings don't include cheese, so it's completely optional. I like to add a small amount for extra flavor-usually a Mexican blend or mozzarella-but any cheese works, or you can leave it out entirely. If using Parmesan, use only half the amount since it's saltier.
- Chicken: Use a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, or bone-in thighs or drumsticks, for a rich, flavorful broth.
- Carrots: Add balance and mild sweetness.
- Acorn squash: Adds body and gentle sweetness.
- Tomato, bell pepper, onion & garlic: The classic aromatic base for this beef soup, adding sweetness, savory depth, and a richer, more flavorful broth.
- Sweet potato: Adds heartiness and sweetness.
- Yukon Gold potato: Adds body and holds shape.
- Corn (on the cob or kernels): Adds natural sweetness and texture; you can use corn on the cob cut into 2-inch rounds, kernels, or both for layered flavor and bite.
- Seasoning: I like seasoning the chicken soup with Knorr chicken bouillon to boost flavor, but you can also use salt if you'd like.
- Oil: Used for browning.
- Fresh lemon or lime juice: Brightens the soup before serving.
How to Make Vori Vori de Pollo
Note: The full instruction is provided in the recipe card below.
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot over high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until browned.
- Add the onions, poblano pepper, tomatoes, chili pepper, chicken-flavored bouillon, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
- Add enough hot water to fully cover the meat and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the meat is tender.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, oregano, and cheese. Gradually add about 6 ladles of hot chicken broth, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a soft, moist dough that holds its shape.
- Let the dough cool just enough to handle, then knead briefly by hand until smooth and even.
- Pinch off about 1 tablespoon of dough-no need to be perfect-roll it into a 1-inch ball, and place it on a plate. Repeat until all the dough is shaped.
- Cover the vori vori with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes, or refrigerate until ready to use.
- Add the sweet potato, white potato, bay leaf, oregano, and squash to the chicken dumpling soup.
- Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes, or until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Gently add the dumplings to the soup a few at a time to prevent splashing or breaking. They will sink at first, then slowly rise to the surface as they cook, about 10 minutes. Gently stir or carefully shake the pot to keep the dumplings from sticking while maintaining their shape. Add the chopped cilantro and green onion, gently shaking the pot to distribute evenly.
- Stir in the lemon juice just before serving. Serve hot, garnished with extra cilantro or parsley, and enjoy with cooked yuca or crusty bread and a wedge of lime.
Hint: Keep the soup at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, when adding the dumplings. High heat can cause them to break apart before they set.
Storage, Make Ahead, & Freezing
Storage: Store leftover chicken dumpling soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let it cool completely before storing.
Make Ahead: Prepare the soup in advance, then let it cool and refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring until heated through.
Freezing: The soup is best fresh, but you can freeze it in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently over medium-low heat.
Camila's Tips & Variations
- Shortcut: Add all ingredients except the dumplings, sweet potato, regular potato, acorn squash, and corn directly to the pot-no browning needed. When the meat is tender, add the reserved vegetables, then add the dumplings last and cook until done.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer: A rolling boil can break the dumplings. Low, steady heat helps them cook through while keeping their shape.
- Add Dumplings Slowly: Gently drop the dumplings into the chicken dumpling soup, a few at a time, to keep them from breaking and to avoid splashing hot broth-ouch! I've learned the hard way, and I don't want that to happen to you.
- Let the dumplings float before stirring: Once they rise to the surface, they are set and less likely to break.
- Cut vegetables evenly: Uniform pieces cook at the same rate, keeping the broth balanced and preventing overcooked vegetables.
- Vegetable Variations: You can add or omit vegetables based on what you like or have on hand. I personally love carrots, so I add plenty to this soup, but you can include as much or as little as you want.
- Adjust thickness with broth: If the soup thickens after resting, add a little hot broth or water when reheating.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with cooked yuca, crusty bread, and a wedge of lime.
- Beef dumpling soup: Replace beef ribs with chicken pieces and use chicken broth for a lighter version with the same dumplings.
Why are my vori vori dumplings falling apart?
They may not be shaped firmly or added too quickly to the soup. Knead the dough well until smooth and homogeneous, then shape the dumplings tightly and add a few at a time.
Why is my soup too thick or too thin?
Adjust the broth as needed: simmer longer for thicker soup or add more liquid for a thinner consistency.
How do I prevent the dumplings from sticking together?
Once you add the dumplings to the soup, gently shake or stir the pot to keep them separated while they cook.
Can I adjust the vegetable mix in Vori Vori de Pollo?
Absolutely-this soup is flexible. Add or omit vegetables like carrots, potatoes, or squash based on what you have or prefer.
Do Vori Vori dumplings need cheese?
Typically, Paraguayan Vori Vori dumplings are made with just the broth from the meat you're cooking. Adding cheese is a matter of personal preference.
Did you know?
Traditional vori vori dumplings are made with precooked cornmeal mixed with warm broth and simmered in different types of soup. Cheese is not traditional and is added only at the preference of the cook.
This Paraguayan criollo dish has popular origins that have been lost to time and reflects the blend of local ingredients and European influences in Paraguayan cuisine.
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Recipe
Easy Vori Vori de Pollo
Ingredients
For the Vori Vori ( Cornmeal and Cheese Dumplings):
- 500 g precooked white cornmeal such as P.A.N. or Maseca.
- 250 g Mexican blend, mozzarella, or any cheese you have on hand; if using Parmesan, use half the amount.
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
For the Chicken Soup:
- 1 whole chicken , cut into 8 pieces or 8 drumsticks
- 2 large yellow onions , chopped
- 7 cloves garlic , finely chopped
- 4 carrots , peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 ½ pounds (1 small) acorn squash , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 Roma tomatoes , chopped
- 2 poblano pepper or bell pepper , chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- 1 medium Yukon gold or red potato , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2-½ tablespoons Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon , to taste
- kosher salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red paper flakes , to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano , chopped or dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 dried red chili pepper , whole (optional)
- 10 to 16 cups boiling water , as needed
- 4 Ears of Corn , Cut into 2" Pieces
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
- 1 bunch cilantro or parsley , chopped
- 1 bunch green onion , chopped
- Juice from 1 lemon or lime to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot over high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until browned.
- Add the onions, poblano pepper, tomatoes, chili pepper, chicken-flavored bouillon, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
- Add enough hot water to fully cover the meat and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the meat is tender.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, oregano, and cheese. Gradually add about 6 ladles of hot chicken broth, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a soft, moist dough that holds its shape.
- Let the dough cool just enough to handle, then knead briefly by hand until smooth and even.
- Pinch off about 1 tablespoon of dough-no need to be perfect-roll it into a 1-inch ball, and place it on a plate. Repeat until all the dough is shaped.
- Cover the vori vori with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes, or refrigerate until ready to use.
- Add the sweet potato, white potato, bay leaf, oregano, and squash to the chicken dumpling soup.
- Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes, or until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Gently add the dumplings to the soup a few at a time to prevent splashing or breaking. They will sink at first, then slowly rise to the surface as they cook, about 10 minutes. Gently stir or carefully shake the pot to keep the dumplings from sticking while maintaining their shape. Add the chopped cilantro and green onion, gently shaking the pot to distribute evenly.
- Stir in the lemon juice just before serving. Serve hot, garnished with extra cilantro or parsley, and enjoy with cooked yuca or crusty bread and a wedge of lime.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is an estimate, calculated using standard data sources. Actual values may vary based on ingredient brands, preparation methods, and portion sizes. This information is for general reference only and should not be considered a substitute for professional dietary advice.
