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Vori Vori

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Vori Vori de Gallina is a thick, nourishing Paraguayan chicken soup enriched with soft cornmeal and fresh cheese dumplings. Rooted in Guaraní maize traditions and shaped by Spanish dairy influence, it balances savory broth, herbal brightness, and gentle sweetness from squash. The dumplings absorb the broth while maintaining structure, creating a cohesive and deeply satisfying bowl that reflects centuries of cultural blending and resilience.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours

Ingredients

For the Chicken Broth

  • 2 bone-in chicken thighs skin on
  • 2 drumsticks skin on
  • ½ medium white onion finely chopped
  • 1 medium ripe tomato finely chopped
  • ½ bell pepper finely chopped
  • ½ pumpkin or squash chopped into ½-inch pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small handful fresh cilantro kuratũ if available, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
  • 8 cups water

For the Vori Vori Dumplings

  • 1½ cups fine cornmeal
  • 1½ cups fresh Paraguayan-style cheese or farmer’s cheese finely crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ –¾ cup hot broth taken from the pot

Instructions

Brown the Chicken

  • In a large heavy pot over medium heat, place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Allow them to brown slowly in their own fat until deeply golden but not burnt, about 8–10 minutes. Flip and brown the other side briefly. Remove and set aside.

Build the Broth Base

  • In the same pot with the remaining chicken fat, add the chopped onion, tomato, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté gently until softened and fragrant. Stir in oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the diced pumpkin or squash.
  • Return the browned chicken to the pot and add 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover partially and cook for about 1½ to 2 hours, until the chicken is tender and the broth is rich and flavorful.

Prepare the Dumplings

  • In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, crumbled cheese, salt, and pepper. Ladle in hot broth a little at a time and mix until a soft but moldable dough forms.
  • Shape into small grape-sized balls. The dough should be firm enough to hold its shape but not dry or crumbly.

Cook the Vori Vori

  • Bring the broth to a gentle boil. Drop the dumplings into the pot one by one. Let them cook for about 5 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes, allowing them to absorb flavor and thicken the broth slightly.
  • Finish with fresh cilantro and parsley. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

  • Use fine cornmeal, not coarse: The texture of the dumplings depends on this. Coarse cornmeal will make them gritty and crumbly. Fine cornmeal gives you that soft, cohesive interior. I used white cornmeal, like harina de maiz. 
 
  • Add broth slowly to the dumpling mixture: You want a moldable dough, not sticky and not dry. Too much liquid and they’ll fall apart. Too little and they’ll be dense.
 
  • Don’t rush the broth: Let the chicken simmer gently. This isn’t a 30-minute soup. The longer simmer extracts flavor and creates the depth that makes this dish truly iconic.