Step 1

Boil the chicken breasts in 6 cups (1.4 milliliters) of cold water. Place the chicken breasts into a large pot and cover them with 6 cups (1.4 milliliters) of cold water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.Some foam will gather at the top of the water. Use a slotted spoon to remove this.If you are vegetarian, you can leave out the chicken.

Step 2

Reduce the water to a simmer. While the chicken is simmering, you can start preparing your vegetables. Wash and peel the vegetables, but do not cut them.

Step 3

Add the vegetables and spices. You will need 1 pound (0.5 kilogram) total of soup vegetables. Great choices for tomato soup include parsley root, celery root, leek, and onion. Try to have a combination. Wash and peel the vegetables, including the carrots, but do not cut them. Add them to the pot along with the carrots and spices. Do not add the salt and pepper just yet.

Step 4

Let the broth cook for 30 minutes. While the broth cooks, you can start preparing the tomatoes. If you plan on using fresh rice in this recipe, it would be a good idea to start cooking it in a separate pot now; it will need about 20 minutes to cook.You can also use leftover rice from a previous meal. Keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Step 5

Heat the tomatoes in a small saucepan. If you have not already, peel the tomatoes first, then cut them into cubes. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add the tomatoes. Cook them until they turn thick. For a more intense flavor, add some tomato paste.

Step 6

Remove the chicken and vegetables. Set them aside and save them for another recipe. You can pour the soup through a strainer into another pot, or your can pull the vegetables and chicken out with a pair of tongs.

Step 7

Add the tomato mixture into the pot. Stir it in well with a whisk until it is dissolved. For a smoother soup, pour the tomato mixture into the pot through a mesh sieve. Scrape the mixture across the sieve with a wooden spoon to get all the liquid out. Discard the pulp or save it for another recipe.

Step 8

Mix some of the soup with the sour cream. Pour the sour cream into a small saucepan or bowl. Whisk in a few spoonfuls of soup until the sour cream turns liquid-y. Adding some of the hot soup into the sour cream gradually heats up the cream and prevents it from coagulating.You can use more or less sour cream depending on your tastes.Sour cream makes the soup more creamy and rich. If you don't like creamy soups or are allergic to dairy, you can leave out the sour cream.

Step 9

Pour the sour cream mixture back into the soup. Be sure to pour the sour cream in slowly. Even though you warmed it up early, it may still coagulate if you pour it in too fast. Stir everything with a whisk until evenly combined and no streaks remain.

Step 10

Season the soup with some salt and pepper. Give the soup a taste. If it is not salty enough for you, add some salt. If it lacks some spice, add some pepper.If the soup is too sour, add some sugar.

Step 11

Serve the soup over rice. Spoon ¼ to ½ cup (65 to 125 grams) of cooked rice into your serving bowls. Pour the soup over the rice. Garnish the soup with some parsley, if desired. If you don't have any rice, a sprinkle of dill would also work.