Costa Rican Chicken Soup (Sopa de Pollo)
Savor the taste of Costa Rica with this vibrant and nourishing Chicken Soup, known locally as "Sopa de Pollo." Featuring tender chicken pieces, a medley of colorful vegetables, delicate pasta, and creamy eggs, this soup exemplifies comfort and warmth, perfect for a cozy meal. The infusion of fresh ginger and cilantro lends a zesty, aromatic finish that complements the hearty broth.
Ingredients
🍗 300g bone-in chicken pieces, thighs and drumsticks are ideal
🍝 Fideos pasta or thin spaghetti, broken by hand
🥚 3 eggs
🌶️ 2 bell peppers, 1 yellow, 1 orange, cut into thin strips
🥒 1 zucchini, cut into half-moon slices
🍉 3 baby chayotes, quartered, seeds intact
🥕 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
🌱 1 cup snow peas, strings removed
🍵 1 liter of chicken broth
🌬️ 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
🥬 1 cup shredded cabbage
🍅 1 tomato, diced
🌿 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
🫒 Olive oil, generic, dark bottle
🧂 Salt, from a generic shaker
🧂 Black pepper, from a generic grinder
🌶️ Hot sauce, from a small red bottle
🍞 Rustic bread, such as whole wheat, for serving
Instructions
1- Prepare the Chicken:
- Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
- Drizzle with olive oil and mix until well coated.
2- Sear the Chicken:
- Heat the cooking pot on a portable gas stove.
- Add the chicken and sear until golden brown on all sides.
3- Chop Vegetables:
- Cut bell peppers into strips.
- Slice zucchini into half-moons.
- Quarter baby chayotes.
- Slice carrot into rounds.
- Destring snow peas.
- Shred cabbage.
- Dice tomato.
- Chop cilantro.
4- Add Vegetables:
- Add the carrots, chayotes, bell peppers, snow peas, and zucchini to the pot.
5- Add Broth:
- Pour chicken broth over the ingredients, covering them fully.
6- Simmer Soup:
- Bring to a boil.
7- Add Pasta and Eggs:
- Add fideos and crack the eggs directly into the soup.
8- Continue Cooking:
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until pasta is cooked and eggs are set.
9- Add Ginger:
- Grate ginger into the soup and stir.
10- Prepare Salad:
- Mix cabbage, tomato, and cilantro in a bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper.
11- Serve:
- Ladle soup into bowls.
- Top with salad, add hot sauce, and serve with rustic bread.
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 40-55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: Approx. 350 per serving
Proteins: 25g
Fats: 10g
Carbohydrates: 40g
Equipment:
🇫🇷 Enameled cast-iron pot with lid, resembles Le Creuset
🔥 Portable gas burner, red and black
🪵 Wooden cutting board
🔪 Standard chef's knife
🥣 Mixing bowls, various
🥄 Metal spoons
🧂 Black handheld pepper grinder
🥄 Handheld metal grater
🍽️ Ceramic serving bowl
🏕️ Foldable metal camping table
Cooking Tips
- Using bone-in chicken enhances the soup's flavor.
- Searing chicken before simmering adds depth to the flavor.
- Adding fresh ginger at the end amplifies its aroma.
#costarican #chickensoup #comfortfood #tropicalflavors #easymeals
Chef Rafael: https://www.youtube.com/@chefrafael