“This is comfort food and a special tribute to my grandmother, Melida.
The soup has a special connection to her memory and my land.
When I think of chicken soup, memories come to mind of her so-very-special chicken and rice soup.
Photo: Todd Buchanan
The closest I have come to the flavor I crave is tree-range organic chicken (see note).
Curiously, this was eons ago, and she was already conscious about clean food.”
This recipe is an excerpt from Amalia’s Mesoamerican Table-Ancient Traditions with Gourmet Infusions.
Cook until the sofrito has a chunky consistency, about 3 minutes.
Mash the sofrito with a flat potato masher to bring it to a puree consistency.
Remove the chicken from the soup pot and keep warm.
Remove the onion, roughly chop it, and reserve.
Remove the bay leaves and cilantro leaves and stems and discard.
Shred the chicken using two forks.
Return the chopped onion and shredded chicken to the soup pot.
Add the sofrito and the rice and stir well.
Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add the carrots, bell pepper, chayote squash, and peas.
Stir well, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve the soup garnished with avocado chunks and cilantro with warm corn tortillas on the side.
This soup is chunky and substantial.
If you like it less chunky or want to stretch it to feed more people, add more stock.
Taste and add additional seasonings if needed.
As an option, use certified organic tree-range chickens (not to be confused with free-range chickens).
The chickens are fed a balanced organic-certified feed.
On top of it all, they are leaner and taste delicious.
They are available through local farmers and online.
