What food is more universally comforting than soup? Particularly chicken soup. It wasn’t until I moved to the states that I realized how lucky I was to grow up in a culture with such delicious food. I remember once I mentioned to a coworker that I wanted to make soup. They then made a comment of soup being like dishwater, in other words, saying that soup was basically broth and was not a filling meal. My first reaction was “what the heck kind of soup are you eating?”. So the following week I brought in an extra bowl of soup and they ate the entire thing. Needless to say, that coworker never talked down on soup, well at least my soup, again.

Soup is my go-to meal when I have random ingredients laying around or I don’t want to cook for the next few days. My husband’s favorite food is soup so it is one dish that gets made constantly in our household and it is great for meal prep. I love the versatility and that every culture on earth has a soup that is unique to them.

The following recipe is inspired by my mom’s chicken soup that she would make for my brothers and I growing up. I probably get my love of cooking from her and my grandmother as they are both AMAZING cooks. My mom also makes a mean fish broth but that's a recipe for another time. I have adjusted this recipe based on my taste and culinary experiences throughout the years. For example, I don’t recall my mother adding lime juice to her soup but I am a huge fan of Asian cuisine and have noticed how they incorporate sour flavors into their soups. It just adds a little something extra that I think makes this soup that much better. Also, there are lots of Caribbean soups that incorporate dumplings and while I love them they can be labor intensive to make and are not the most nutritious. In this recipe, I already use noodles and lots of root vegetables so I did not feel the need to add dumplings. You can, however, adjust your version to include them.

DISCLAIMER: Let me preface this by saying most of my recipes are adjustable, especially if they are not baked goods such as pastries or cakes. I cook by taste and feel and I cook enough where I can, most of the time, guess my way through a recipe. I think of recipes as guides and may follow them the first few times but then I adjust them and make them my own. I encourage you to do the same. Get creative in the kitchen! If you don’t have everything on this list don’t be discouraged. As long as you can make a tasty broth you can add whatever you like to your soup.

INGREDIENTS:

Vegetables

1/2 Large Yellow Onion
2 Carrots
2 Celery Stocks
1 Cup Green Onion/Spring Onion
1, 2-pound bag of Goya Sancocho Vegetable Mix. If you can’t find this mix (available in the freezer section) the following vegetables can be purchased separately.
- Mix Contains:
  - Pumpkin
  - Cassava/Yucca
  - Yam (optional)
  - Sweet Potato (optional)
  - Dasheen/Malanga/Taro (optional)
  - Green Fig/ Green Banana (optional)
1 Corn On The Cob

Herbs

2 Sprigs of Rosemary
2 Large Sprigs of Thyme
1/2 Cup Cilantro
5 Bay Leaves

Spices/Seasoning

2 Tablespoons Goya Adobo All Purpose Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Pot Spoonful (¼ Cup) of Sofrito
4 Tablespoons Chicken Bouillon Flavor or 2 Bouillon Cubes
2 Packets of Mucharen Chicken Ramen (seasoning packets optional based on taste)

Everything Else

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (vegetable oil can be substituted)
1 Lime
3-4 lbs Chicken Wings (adjustable)
10 Cups of Water

PREP: BEFORE YOU BEGIN

I had a subscription to this meal kit delivery service called Home Chef and the major thing I learned was to prep your ingredients before you begin cooking! It can be hard to get used to at first but having everything ready to go and at your fingertips is so helpful especially if you are not comfortable in the kitchen. This is just a recommendation though, so feel free to skip this section and proceed directly to directions.

Measure out all spices and seasoning
Wash chicken wings in cold water, vinegar, and lime or lemon juice. After first wash drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again and set aside. Be sure to remove any stray feathers or hairs.
Wash all herbs and vegetables (except bay leaves)
Peel carrots and Large dice carrots and celery stocks into ½ inch pieces
Peel and small dice onion
Chop cilantro and green onion
Peel and chop vegetables into appx. 1-inch pieces
Slice corn on the cob into appx. 1 ½ inch pieces
Slice and juice lime

STEPS

Saute celery, onions, and carrots in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil for 3-5 minutes until soft over medium heat. Do not brown.
While vegetables saute season your chicken. In a large mixing bowl add Goya Adobo All Purpose Seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, black pepper, paprika and a pot spoonful of sofrito to chicken wings. Mix well. Add to pot.
Stir chicken and celery, onions and carrots together and allow to cook until slightly brown for 3 minutes.
Add rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and chicken bouillon powder to the pot. Rosemary and thyme sprigs can be added whole.
Add 8 cups of water to pot and stir. Allow to cook for 40 minutes over medium-high heat. Halfway through after about 20 minutes stir and lower heat to medium if necessary. Your soup should be at a boil. Allow to cook for the remaining 20 minutes.
Add your chopped pumpkin, cassava (yucca), yam, sweet potato, dasheen (malanga/taro) plantain and corn on the cob.
Add 2 more cups of water and allow to boil for 10-15 minutes until cooked.
Crush packs of Mucharen chicken ramen into your soup and stir. Taste broth. Add ramen seasoning packets if needed. Omit if the broth is to your liking.
Right after adding ramen immediately add green onions and cilantro. Stir and allow to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add lime juice to the pot. Allow to cool for 10 minutes serve and enjoy!