We all know the basic chicken soup: water and pieces of meat boiled in water with veggies and herbs, plus some rice or noodles. In the United States, this almost always means a clear broth with some small pieces of meat and vegetable pieces, noodles, dumplings, rice, or barley. Lots of people go to chicken soup first when they want to cure a cold, and it is a great example of old fashioned home cooking.
It is not the only type of chicken soup around, however. There are lots of wonderful soup recipes from South and Central America you can check out, too. Let us take a look at a few of these interesting and great tasting chicken soups.
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.
Found in Portugal and Brazil, Canja is made with shredded chicken plus rice or pasta, and is full of traditional Portuguese flavors. Columbia’s ajiaco includes big pieces of corn on the cob, native potato varieties, large chicken pieces, and a local herb called guasca. It is eaten with heavy cream, capers and avocado, added by the diner right before eating.
Elsewhere in Latin America, you will find some other soups called ajiaco, which are almost all very spicy. Some are chicken based, while others are not. If you are interested in a great Columbian style ajiaco, make sure you check your local specialty food market for some guasca of your own. You could also try a chicken tortilla soup, too.
Sancoco de gallina is also common in Columbia, and includes whole, unboned pieces of chicken in a tasty broth. Added to it are big pieces of plantain, potato, and yucca. This soup is considered a full meal, because of its heartiness. Nearby countries also feature sancocos, so do not be afraid to give one 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.
Chicken soup is something common to people everywhere and there’s no one recipe for it. If you’d like something a little different for dinner, consider making one of these great South or Central American chicken soup recipes, or adding a few of their ingredients to your own cooking. You will not be sorry!
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