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1
Soften the Onion and Brown the Chicken
10 Mins
Olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Heat the 15g of olive oil in a very large pot over medium-high heat. Add the 150g of diced onion and the 15g of minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until soft and fragrant but not browned. Add the 1000g of chicken chunks and brown them for about 6 minutes, turning once, until golden at the edges.
Do not crowd the pot — if the chicken steams instead of browning, take half out and brown it in a second batch.
Done when: Onion soft and translucent; chicken golden at the edges.
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2
Add Water and the Hard Vegetables
30 Mins
Simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Pour in the 2000ml of water and stir in the crumbled bouillon cube, the 2g of cumin, the 1g of pepper and the 3g of salt. Add the 300g of yuca chunks and the corn rounds. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises in the first few minutes.
Yuca goes in first because it takes the longest — it also has a habit of sticking to the bottom, so stir once or twice and keep it near the top of the pot.
Done when: Yuca starting to soften at the edges; broth clear and golden.
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3
Add the Quicker Vegetables
20 Mins
Simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Add the 400g of potatoes, the 200g of carrots and the 300g of chayote. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes more, until all the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife and the chicken is cooked through.
Cut the vegetables to similar sizes so they finish together — a small piece of potato cooks much faster than a big one.
Done when: Potatoes and chayote tender; chicken cooked through to 74°C (165°F).
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4
Shred the Chicken and Finish with Cilantro
10 Mins
Pot off the heat
Lift the chicken chunks out with tongs and shred the meat with two forks, discarding any gristle. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir in the 30g of chopped cilantro. Taste the broth and add a little more salt if it needs it.
Shredding the chicken is what makes the bowl in the photograph — the meat mixes through the soup instead of sitting in whole pieces.
Done when: Chicken shredded and mixed through; cilantro bright green.
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5
Serve with Rice and Tortillas
5 Mins
Serve hot, about 65°C (150°F)
Ladle the soup into wide bowls, making sure each one gets chicken, yuca, corn, potato, carrot and chayote. Serve at once with white rice and warm corn tortillas on the side, and lime wedges for squeezing over the top if you like.
The soup is a main course, not a starter — a full bowl with rice on the side is the meal.
Done when: Every bowl has all the vegetables; broth steaming.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Ladle the shredded chicken and all five vegetables into wide bowls with plenty of broth, and set the rice and warm tortillas on the table so everyone helps themselves.
Honduras
45m
