Sopa de Albóndigas Nicaragüense
A hearty and flavorful chicken soup featuring tender meatballs made from masa and seasoned chicken, simmered in a rich broth with aromatic vegetables and herbs.
🧂 Ingredients
- 4 lb Whole chicken(cut into 8 pieces)
- 2 medium Yellow onion(quartered for broth, finely chopped for meatballs)
- 1 medium Green bell pepper(quartered for broth, finely chopped for meatballs)
- 8 medium Garlic cloves(smashed for broth, pureed for meatballs)
- 1 medium Sour orange(juiced)
- 0.5 cup Culantro (or cilantro)(finely chopped)
- 0.25 cup Fresh mint leaves(finely chopped)
- 3 quarts Water
- 1 tablespoon Salt(or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons Black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon Achiote paste or powder
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 2 cups Corn masa mix (e.g., Maseca)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
For the soup broth: In a large pot, combine chicken pieces, quartered onion, quartered green bell pepper, smashed garlic, sour orange halves, culantro, and mint. Add water, salt, and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through.
⏱️ 1 hour - 2
Remove chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Strain the broth, discarding solids. Reserve about 1.5 cups of broth for the meatballs.
💡 Tip: Skim off any excess fat from the broth if desired. - 3
For the meatballs: While the chicken cools, in a food processor, pulse the finely chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic until a fine paste forms.
💡 Tip: Alternatively, finely mince these ingredients by hand. - 4
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion-pepper-garlic paste and achiote. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 minutes - 5
Shred the cooked chicken. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, the cooked achiote mixture, the reserved 1.5 cups of broth, and the corn masa mix. Add chopped culantro and mint. Mix until well combined and a dough forms. It should be sticky but hold its shape.
💡 Tip: Adjust masa or broth slightly if the mixture is too wet or too dry. - 6
Using lightly oiled hands, shape the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs. You should have about 24-30 meatballs.
- 7
Bring the strained chicken broth back to a simmer in the large pot. Gently drop the meatballs into the simmering broth.
💡 Tip: Do not overcrowd the pot; cook in batches if necessary. - 8
Simmer the soup for 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and float to the surface. Adjust salt to taste.
⏱️ 25 minutes - 9
Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro if desired.
💡 Tip: This soup is often served with white rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Using a whole chicken provides the richest flavor for the broth.
- ✓Sour orange juice adds a characteristic tanginess; lime juice can be substituted.
- ✓The achiote gives the meatballs their signature reddish-orange hue.
🔄 Variations
- Add other vegetables like yuca, potatoes, or carrots to the broth.
- For a spicier kick, add a minced jalapeño to the meatball mixture.