Sopón de Pollo
A hearty and flavorful Puerto Rican chicken and vegetable soup, often thickened with rice or noodles, perfect for a comforting meal.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 medium Whole chicken(cut into pieces, or 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs/legs)
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1/2 cup Sofrito
- 1 medium Onion(chopped)
- 4 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 3 large Carrots(peeled and sliced)
- 2 large Potatoes(peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 2 ears Corn on the cob(cut into 2-inch pieces (or 1 cup frozen corn))
- 8 cups Chicken broth
- 1 packet Sazón seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Oregano(dried)
- 1/4 cup Cilantro(chopped, plus more for garnish)
- 1 cup Fideo pasta or small pasta
- to taste Salt and pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry. Season with Adobo seasoning.
- 2
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Remove chicken and set aside.
- 3
Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- 4
Stir in the sofrito and cook for 1 minute.
- 5
Return the chicken to the pot. Add chicken broth, carrots, potatoes, corn, Sazón, oregano, and chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil.
- 6
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
- 7
Add the fideo pasta to the pot and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until al dente. Stir occasionally.
- 8
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves if used.
- 9
Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a thicker soup, you can mash some of the cooked potatoes against the side of the pot.
- ✓If you don't have fresh corn, frozen corn works well.
- ✓Adjust the amount of sofrito to your preference.
🔄 Variations
- Add other vegetables like celery, peas, or green beans.
- For a richer flavor, use chicken thighs with bones.
- Some recipes include a small amount of rice cooked with the soup to thicken it.