Jamaican Chicken Soup Recipe
Enjoy this authentic Jamaican Chicken Soup and bring the warmth and delicious flavors of Jamaica straight to your dining table.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (or about 1.5 lbs of chicken thighs or drumsticks)
- ½ lb fresh pumpkin, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium yellow yam, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium chocho (chayote), peeled and diced
- 1 corn, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 green bananas, peeled and chopped into 1 to 2-inch pieces
- 1 medium Irish potato, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (whole, for flavor)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon pimento (allspice) berries
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 packet chicken flavor noodle soup mix
- 8 cups water
- Salt to taste Lime: 1, juiced, to wash the chicken.
For the Dumplings (Spinners):
- 1 cup flour
- water (to form dough)
- Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the Chicken:
- Cut the chicken into small pieces. Wash the chicken in a mixture of water and lime juice. Drain all excess water from the chicken, and pat it dry with a kitchen towel if necessary.
Prepare the Vegetables:
- Peel and chop the pumpkin, yellow yam, chocho, carrots and Irish potato.
- Slice the corn into 2-inch pieces and chop the onion, garlic, and scallion.
- Peel the bananas by cutting off both ends with a paring knife, then make a shallow slit along the length of the skin. Use your fingers to remove the peel then chop into 1-2 inch pieces.
Prepare The Dumplings:
- Combine flour, water, and a pinch of salt until the dough is firm, then roll them into thin, long pieces (spinners).
Start Cooking the Chicken:
- Place the chicken in a large soup pot along with the pimento (allspice), chopped onion, scallion, garlic, thyme, corn, and salt.
- Cover the ingredients with boiling water until about an inch over the chicken and let it cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
Add Vegetables and Dumplings:
- After 10 minutes, add the chopped pumpkin, carrots, cho cho, yellow yam, green bananas, potatoes and the dumplings (spinners) into the pot.
- Pour in enough boiling water to cover all the ingredients. Make sure the vegetables and chicken are covered with water.
- Stir everything together gently.
Add the Soup Mix and Scotch Bonnet Pepper
- Stir in 1 packet of the Chicken Soup Noodle Mix for extra flavor and color.
- Add the whole Scotch bonnet pepper without cutting it, as this will add a mild heat to the soup without overpowering it.
- Be sure not to break the pepper to avoid making the soup too spicy.
Simmer and Cook:
- Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a low simmer.
- Let the soup cook for 30-50 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Be careful not to burst the Scotch bonnet pepper while stirring.
- Once the soup begins to bubble and the ingredients start to soften, reduce the heat further and allow the flavors to meld.
- Keep an eye on the pot to prevent burning or the water from drying out. Gradually add 2-3 teaspoons of hot water if needed to avoid sticking and to maintain the right consistency.
- To avoid overcooking the vegetables, check them gradually as the soup simmers. The vegetables should be soft but not overcooked.
Taste and Adjust:
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, the vegetables are tender (a fork should easily sink all the way through), and the soup has taken on a rich color, taste the soup to see if more salt is needed.
- You may remove the Scotch bonnet pepper at this point to prevent the soup from becoming too spicy.
Serve:
- Serve the soup warm, with all the vegetables, ground provisions, dumplings, and chicken in each bowl.