Description
This Fully-Loaded & Nourishing Caribbean Chicken Soup is a comforting and hearty dish featuring seasoned chicken, fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and classic Caribbean spices. Slow-simmered to blend flavors perfectly, it includes vibrant provisions like corn, carrots, and potatoes, enriched with creamy coconut milk and tender Jamaican-style dumplings for a soul-warming meal ideal for sharing.
Ingredients
Chicken and Seasoning
- 3 lbs chicken parts (mix of drumsticks & boneless/skinless thighs)
- 1 tablespoon Jamaican-style curry powder
- 1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Sazon seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅓ cup green seasoning or sofrito
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Aromatics and Cooking Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh sliced scallions
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 10 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 packet Grace pumpkin flavored soup mix (noodles discarded)
Vegetables and Additions
- 4 large carrots, sliced on a bias into rough pieces
- 2 ears fresh corn on the cob, sliced into thick rounds
- 2-3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & cut into quarters
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, room temperature
Dumplings
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- ⅓ cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cups water
Optional Thickener
- Cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water) to thicken soup if desired
Instructions
- Prep the chicken & season: Pat the chicken parts dry with a paper towel. Remove the skin from drumsticks using a paper towel to grip and peel it off. Place skinless chicken into a large bowl, season with curry powder, adobo, sazon, allspice, green seasoning/sofrito, kosher salt, and fresh pepper. Massage spices into the chicken thoroughly. Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, green bell pepper, scallions, and thyme. Sauté, stirring often, until tender (about 5-6 minutes). Add garlic paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Sear & simmer the chicken: Add the seasoned chicken pieces to the pot and toss to combine with aromatics. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until chicken browns slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth or stock to cover chicken, stir well. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot with lid leaving a slight crack. Let simmer for 1 hour until chicken is cooked through and mixture is aromatic.
- Build the soup & add provisions: Use a fine mesh sieve to sift the pumpkin soup packet contents over the pot, discarding the noodles. Add carrots, corn rounds, potatoes, and coconut milk. Stir carefully to combine. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
- Prep the dumplings: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Pour in water and mix with hands until dough forms a cohesive mass. Divide dough into approximately 2-inch balls and roll each into a small log shape. Add flour a tablespoon at a time if dough is sticky.
- Add the dumplings: Drop dumplings into the simmering soup, scattered evenly. Continue cooking for 10-12 minutes until dumplings and vegetables are tender.
- Serve: Remove and discard thyme sprigs. If desired, stir in cornstarch slurry to thicken soup. Ladle soup evenly into bowls and serve immediately. Enjoy this nourishing Caribbean chicken soup!
Notes
- Removing the skin from drumsticks helps reduce fat and keep the soup lighter.
- Use a fine mesh sieve to sift pumpkin soup mix to avoid adding unwanted noodles.
- Dumplings can be adjusted in flour if dough is sticky to prevent them from falling apart during cooking.
- Simmering with the lid slightly cracked allows for flavors to meld while preventing overboiling.
- Cornstarch slurry is optional if a thicker soup consistency is preferred.
- The soup contains coconut milk which adds richness and authentic Caribbean flavor.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Caribbean
