Healing Chicken Soup (Caldo de Gallina Criolla o Pollo)
Dominicans believe, like most cultures, that their chicken soup heals the sick. Like many chicken soups around the world, this one is brothy and comforting. Add noodles and the sweetness of squash, and you have a nutritious, tasty and satisfying dish.
Ingredients 12
1.35 kg chicken, quartered
2 carrots, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces
1 yellow onion, cut into 1 cm (½ in) cubes
3 garlic cloves, halved
2 bay leaves
1.9 l water
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp chicken fat, rendered
3 ribs celery, cut into 1 cm (1⁄2 in) cubes
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 calabaza (butternut squash), peeled, seeded, cut into 1 cm (1⁄2 in) cubes
115 g vermicelli (angel hair pasta), broken into 7.5 cm (3 in) pieces
1⁄2 bunch cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, to garnish
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Method 5
Place the , , , and in a pot large enough to snugly fit the chicken with the vegetables. Add the or stock and the and weigh down the chicken under a few small plates to keep it submerged.
Bring to the boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until the is cooked through, a thermometer reads 74°C (165°F) when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh or breast and the juices of the chicken run clear.
When the is cooked, strain the liquid to remove any solids and reserve the broth. Leave the chicken until cool enough to handle, then remove the chicken skin and discard. Using your hands, shred all the meat and discard the bones. Set the chicken aside.
Rinse and dry the pot, then add the or oil and melt over a medium–high heat. Add the , sliced and and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften. The calabaza should still be slightly undercooked.
Season the vegetables with , add the reserved and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the is tender. Add the and shredded meat and simmer gently until the pasta is cooked. Season with salt and garnish with chopped .
Jenn Louis' tips
Noodles may absorb liquid from the broth; the soup will become thick. Add more stock as needed, or cook the noodles separately and add to individual bowls of soup.
Other traditional additions to this soup are potato, carrots, yucca and oregano.
