I learned many of my favorite recipes from my grandmother. One of my favorites, and a soup I grew up on, was my grandmother’s Mexican chicken soup, which my grandfather referred to as “Mexican penicillin” for its cold-busting ability.
This hearty and healthy soup is great year-round, inexpensive, and easy to prepare.
Abuela’s Chicken Soup
Abuela's Sopa Mexicana de Pollo Para el Alma
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Sauté Pan (if you don't have a second stock pot)
- 2 medium/large bowls
- Large Strainer/Colander
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken
- 2 White Onions Chopped Large
- 4 cloves Garlic Chopped
- 6 whole Carrots ¼" slices
- 6 ribs Celery ¼" slices
- 1 bunch Cilantro Coarsely chopped
- 1-2 tbsp Salt More to taste
- 1-2 tbsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper I like a LOT!
- 1-4 cup Cooked Long Grain White Rice Cook Separately
- 64 oz Chicken Stock or Broth
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon Sliced
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken, place directly into your stockpot, and cover with water by an extra 2". Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.1 Whole Chicken
- Reduce heat to medium and boil the chicken for approximately one hour, or until the chicken starts to easily pull off the bone with a fork.1 Whole Chicken
- The chicken is done when the chicken meat pulls off the bone easily with a fork. Remove the chicken from the stock with a pair of tongs and place it in a strainer with a bowl underneath where it can cool and drain. Set the chicken aside while it cools.1 Whole Chicken
- This should leave you with a stockpot of fresh chicken stock to use for your soup. Unfortunately, it's not quite enough to feed a big family, so we're going to stretch it out a bit by adding an additional 64 oz of packaged chicken stock, or two 32 oz cartons common at most grocery stores. Go ahead and pour those in.64 oz Chicken Stock or Broth
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in your sauté pan, add chopped white onions and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic after 1 minute. Keep the heat down and don't burn the garlic. We want to get the aromatics going before adding them to our broth.2 White Onions , 1 tbsp Olive Oil, 4 cloves Garlic
- Add the 2 cups sliced carrots, 2 cups sliced celery, salt, pepper, and your cooked onion, and garlic to your homemade chicken stock. Cover and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes. Set your timer for 10.2 White Onions , 4 cloves Garlic, 6 whole Carrots, 6 ribs Celery, 1-2 tbsp Salt, 1-2 tbsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
- While the broth is simmering, go to your now-cooled chicken and use your hands to break the meat up into bite-size chunks. You can put them in a bowl to add at once or you can throw them into the simmering broth as you go.
- Continue simmering for approximately 30 minutes. I test as I go and turn it off just as the vegetables start to soften. This is a good time to taste for salt and pepper.1-2 tbsp Salt, 1-2 tbsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
- Serve in soup bowls and top with a scoop of cooked white rice. Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime and a fat pinch of cilantro.1 bunch Cilantro, 1 Lemon, 1-4 cup Cooked Long Grain White Rice
- Serve with pepper jack quesadillas made with homemade corn tortillas. A squeeze of lemon or lime takes it to another level.
