← Nouns Cooking · Mexican

Ingredients

• 700 g bone-in chicken pieces (breasts or thighs)
• 2 l Water
• 1 Onion, half left whole, half chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 tsp Salt
• 3 Tomato
• 2 chipotle chillies in adobo (more for extra heat)
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 Carrot, diced
• 1 Courgette (zucchini), diced
• 150 g Green beans, cut short
• 400 g tinned chickpeas, drained
• 2 sprigs epazote or coriander sprigs
• 2 Avocado, diced
• 120 g Oaxaca cheese or queso fresco, cubed (optional)
• 3 Lime, cut into wedges

Method

1. Simmer the chicken with the water, the half onion, 1 garlic clove and the salt for 30 min, until cooked through (75°C / 165°F). Lift out the chicken, shred it and strain the broth.
2. Blend the tomatoes, chipotles, remaining garlic and chopped onion with a ladle of broth until smooth.
3. Heat the oil in the pot over medium-high heat, pour in the purée and fry for 5 min, stirring, until it darkens.
4. Add the broth, carrots and chickpeas and simmer for 8 min. Add the courgette, green beans and epazote and cook for 6–8 min more, until tender.
5. Return the chicken, taste for salt and serve with avocado, cheese and lime at the table.

Tips

• Leave out the cheese to keep it dairy-free.
• A dried chipotle or two, toasted and simmered in the broth, gives an even smokier soup.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Maricruz Avalos Isabel Eats Mexico in My Kitchen