Bowl of Chicken Avocado Soup
(click to enlarge)

Chicken Avocado Soup


Belize   -   Sopa de Pollo con Aguacate
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 10 cups
***
1-1/2 hrs
Most		 Exotic, substantial, and absolutely delicious. Folks in North America are not accustomed to cooking Avocado, but it's common in Central America and the Caribbean.

2
1
8
-------
6
2
5
2
1
1/4
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1-1/2
5
2
1/2
1/2
1/2
#
#
oz
---
oz
cl
oz
oz

c
---
T
c
T
T
t
T
Chicken Meat (1)
Avocado (2)
Cheese, white (3)
-- Sofrito
Onion
Garlic
Carrot
Celery
Chili Serrano (4)
Cilantro
-----------------
Olive Oil ExtV
Chicken Broth (5)  
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Lime Juice
Do Ahead   -   (3 hrs - 45 min work)
  1. Prepare CHICKEN BROTH as needed - see Broth. While making the broth, cook the CHICKEN MEAT in it. Fish it out at 30 minutes and let it cool. You can refrigerate it if not using it immediately.
Prep   -   (1 hr)
  1. Shred CHICKEN fairly small.
  2. Sofrito:   Quarter ONIONS lengthwise and slice fairly thin crosswise. Crush GARLIC and chop small. Dice CARROT about 1/4 inch. Dice CELERY similar to Carrots. Chop SERRANO fine. Chop CILANTRO fine, OK to use tender stems too. Mix all.
  3. Cut CHEESE into about 1/2 inch cubes.
  4. Cut AVOCADO into about 1/2 inch cubes.
  5. Squeeze LIME JUICE.
Run   -   (30 min)
  1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan (4 quart), heat Olive Oil and fry Sofrito mix until Onions are translucent and carrots are starting to soften.
  2. Stir in Chicken for a minute or so.
  3. Stir in Broth, Butter, Cheese, Salt, and Pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. The Cheese should have dissolved into the broth.
  4. Stir in Avocado. Bring Soup back to temperature, about 2 minutes.
  5. Stir in Lime Juice and take off the heat.
  6. Serve hot. See Comments.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight is skinless and boneless. I use thigh / leg meat, which has much better flavor and texture than breast meat. The pattern recipe called for one whole chicken (size not specified) simmered until the meat can be stripped off. See Broth on how I maintain flavor with skinless boneless meat.

  2. Avocados:

      Use Mexican / Guatemalan (California) Avocados that are just ripe and still firm. Best to buy them quite hard. Age them on the counter until they have just a slight give when pressed. Once ripe, they can be stashed the fridge and will be fine for several days. For details, see our Avocados page.

  3. Cheese, White:

      The pattern recipe does not specify what kind of "white cheese", but I presume Queso Fresco, as it is the most used cheese in Latin America. It works fine, dissolving into the broth.

  4. Chili Serrano:

      Here you control the chili heat according to your own best judgement. I use a whole Serrano, and that is fine for most people, but if you are quite chili adverse, use just half cut from the pointy end. For details see our Chilis of North and Central America page.

  5. Chicken Broth:

      When making a dish like this I want to preserve the flavors you'd get from using a whole chicken. I buy bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. I strip off the skin, trim fat, and bone them. I then place skin, fat, and bones in a stock pot and simmer a few hours to make a strong broth. I then strain it and defat it using my gravy separator. For details on making and saving broth, see our Soup Stock / Broth page.

  6. Comments:

      If making in advance, or if there will be delays, cut and add the Avocados just before serving. This soup can be reheated carefully, to just below boiling.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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