spanish chicken soup

Spanish Chicken Soup

A hearty soup that’s made from scratch is the perfect antidote for chilly weather. Save leftovers of this Spanish chicken soup for weekday lunches sent to work in a thermos or quickly reheated in the microwave.

Ingredient

    • 1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut up
    • 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 celery ribs, chopped
    • 1 medium onion, chopped
    • 1 medium carrot, chopped
    • 1/4 cup sofrito tomato cooking base
    • 2 quarts water
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
    • 12 ounces fideo noodles or uncooked angel hair pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
    • Fresh cilantro leaves, optional

Instructions

    1. Sprinkle chicken with adobo seasoning. In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Brown chicken on both sides in batches. Remove chicken from pot. Add celery, onion, carrot and sofrito to same pot; cook and stir until onion is tender, 3-4 minutes.
    2. Return chicken to pot. Add water and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add potatoes. Simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are almost tender, 8-10 minutes.
    3. Remove chicken and bay leaf; discard bay leaf. Let chicken stand until cool enough to handle. Skim fat from broth. Return broth to a simmer; add noodles. Simmer, uncovered, until noodles are tender, 5-7 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones; discard bones. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces; add chicken to broth. Add salt and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. If desired, garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.