Description
A heartwarming and nourishing Jamaican chicken soup filled with vibrant vegetables and spices.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs whole chicken, cut into pieces
- 12 cups water
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 stalk scallion, chopped
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 cups pumpkin, cubed
- 2 cups yam, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 cup dumplings (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces into a large pot.
- Add 12 cups of water to the pot, ensuring the chicken is fully submerged.
- Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the chicken simmer for about 30 minutes, skimming off any foam or impurities that rise to the top.
- Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, diced potatoes, chopped green bell pepper, chopped yellow bell pepper, and chopped scallion to the pot.
- Add the sprig of thyme and the whole Scotch bonnet pepper to the pot.
- Season the soup with 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of allspice, and 1 teaspoon of grated ginger.
- Stir the ingredients in the pot to mix them well.
- Add the cubed pumpkin and cubed yam to the soup.
- Stir the soup again, ensuring that all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and the vegetables are fully cooked.
- While the soup is simmering, heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a small pan over medium heat.
- If you’re making dumplings, add the dumpling mixture to the pot, ensuring the dumplings float to the top during the simmering process.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, remove the chicken pieces from the pot and set them aside to cool slightly.
- Once cooled, shred the chicken, discarding the bones and skin.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot, stirring it back into the soup.
- Add 1 tablespoon of lime juice to the soup and stir well.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if necessary.
- Let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Once done, remove the pot from the heat and serve the soup hot.
Notes
- For a spicier soup, you can slice the Scotch bonnet pepper before adding it.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like corn or green beans for extra flavor and nutrition.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Jamaican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg