Mexican Chicken and Vegetable Soup (Caldo Tlalpeño)
The recipe for Tlalpeño soup was born in the early 1900s in the village of Tlalpan, a suburb of Mexico City. At one of the many food stalls at the suburb’s tram stop, a woman sold chicken soup. Her soup became so beloved, her fans named it Tlalpeño soup. Traditionally, vegetable garnishes varied: turnips, green beans and a few other seasonal vegetables can be added. Long-grain rice is often served alongside, and sometimes served in the soup itself. Serve with warm corn tortillas or crispy tostadas.
Ingredients 18
85 g dried chickpeas
1 chicken, quartered
1.9 l water
2 tbsp salt
4 roma tomatoes (plum tomatoes), quartered
2 chipotle peppers in adobo
1⁄4 white onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
7 g epazote, fresh, loosely packed
1 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
3 carrots, large, cut into 5 mm (¼ in) rounds
225 g green beans, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces
2 zucchini (courgettes), cut into 1 cm (½ in) cubes
To Garnish
2 avocados, ripe, cubed
170 g panela cheese, cubed
1⁄2 bunch cilantro (coriander), roughly chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
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Method 8
Place the in a bowl and cover with cool water, to at least 5 cm (2 in) above the legumes. Cover and leave to soak overnight at room temperature.
The next day, drain the and cook in a pan of gently simmering for 20–30 minutes until tender. Season the chickpeas with while still in the cooking water, then reserve.
Place the and or chicken stock in a large pot with the . Weigh down the chicken under a few small plates to keep it submerged and simmer gently over a medium heat until the chicken pieces are cooked, about 7–10 minutes for the breasts and 15–18 minutes for the legs and thighs. The meat should separate from the end of the leg bone when cooked, a thermometer will read 74°C (165°F) when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh or breast and the juices of the chicken will run clear.
When the is cooked, remove from the pot and leave 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 meat aside. Strain the broth and reserve.
Place the , , , , , and 475 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) of the reserved broth in a blender and process until smooth.
Wipe out the pot and place over a medium–high heat. Pour the purée into the pot, then add the and and cook slowly, stirring, for 3–5 minutes.
Add the reserved broth, bring to a gentle simmer, then add the and and cook for 3–4 minutes until tender, adding the during the last 1–2 minutes of cooking. Drain the and stir into the soup.
Add the reserved to the soup and stir to combine. Season with and freshly ground black pepper and serve the soup garnished with , , and .
