Chicken Soup From South And Central America
At its most basic, chicken soup is made by boiling bones or chicken parts in water with vegetables, herbs, and sometimes noodles or rice. The classic US soup has a clear broth, small pieces of meat and veggies, and barley, rice, dumplings or noodles. It is considered a great way to cure a cold, and is a classic example of home cooking.
However, that is not all there is to this soup. There are plenty of great Latin and South American soups to choose from, too. Here are a few examples of chicken soup from south of the United States that offer some really interesting new tastes.
Mexico and Latin America make their own version of this called caldo de pollo – literally “broth of chicken” -, which contains whole pieces of the bird and large pieces of vegetables rather than the minced meat pieces, and veggies we’ve grown to expect. This soup contains whole wings, legs, breasts and thighs, halved potatoes, pieces of corn on the cob and whole cabbage leaves. You will also see garlic, cilantro, carrots, celery, onion, and tomato in caldo de pollo. Try it with hot sauce and lemon juice added right before you serve it with corn tortillas or rice.
Canja is a type of soup found in Brazil and Portugal, and is made with pasta or rice and shredded meat. In Columbia, ajiaco is popular. This potato based meal includes large pieces of corn still on the cob, two to three kinds of native potatoes, a special herb called guasca, and pieces of chicken. Eat it with capers, heavy cream, and avocado, added in just before eating.
Other parts of Latin America also offer soups referred to as ajiaco, but not all of them contain chicken. However, one thing they do have in common is their spiciness. If you would like to make this recipe on your own, look in your local Hispanic markets for guasca. Alternatively, give a recipe for Mexican chicken soup a try.
Also found in Columbia is sancoco de gallina. This starts with a broth, and includes whole pieces of soup hen, still on the bone. Large pieces of yucca, potato, plantain and other starchy vegetables are found in this soup, which is hearty enough to be considered a full meal. You will also find sancochos in neighboring countries, so if you ever visit Latin America, give them a try!
If you would like to stick to spicing up a US style chicken soup, you can do that, too. Just vary your ingredients and add a few different ones for a better taste. Spicy chilies, tomato and peppers, beans, cilantro, and many other commonly available ingredients can be used to make your regular chicken soup something special.
People everywhere love this traditional soup, and there are all kinds of different recipes for this great meal. If you are looking for something just a little different for dinner this week, take a look at some of these fantastic Central and South American chicken soup recipes. You will be glad you did.
Looking for great soup recipes try the site dedicated to chicken soup ChickenNoodleSoups.com. More than just noodles.
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