Although I manage a full service kitchen and can avail of free meals, I like to pack brown bag lunches for work. Nothing against my cooks and the wonderful food they make but I prefer simple affairs of mostly sandwiches or leftover dinner from the night before. I usually prepare my own sandwich fillings over the weekend and as I already went through the tub of cheese pineapple I made last Friday night, I cooked a whole chicken today to make chicken salad spread for the workdays ahead. After pulling the meat I needed to make a huge container, I realized I had enough scraps left on the carcass and a nicely-seasoned stock just begging to be transformed into a delicious chicken sopas.
For my chicken sopas, I usually start with mirepoix as base. The combination of onions, celery and carrots lightly sauteed in butter not only serves as the added vegetables in the soup but amps up flavors as well. As in any good soup, the broth is the foundation of this sopas so I highly recommend using bone-in chicken gently simmered in aromatics for the meat. To round up the soup nicely, I also like to add boiled eggs and chopped green onions just before serving. Give it a try and please don’t forget to leave me a feedback.
- 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni pasta
- 10 cups water
- 1-1/2 pound bone-in chicken parts
- 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 teaspoon pepper corns
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 (12 ounces) can evaporated milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
- green onions, chopped
- In a pot over medium heat, cook macaroni in about 4 quarts of salted boiling water for about 7 to 8 minutes or until firm to bite. Remove from pot, rinse and drain well. Set aside.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine chicken, quartered onions, pepper corns, 2 cloves of the garlic, bay leaves and about 10 cups water. Bring to a boil, skimming scum that may float on top. Once the broth clears, lower heat and cover. Continue to cook for about 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and fork-tender. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken from the broth.
- Allow chicken to cool to touch, pull meat from the bones, shred and set aside. Return bones to the pot and continue to simmer broth for about 20 to 30 minutes. Using a cheesecloth, strain broth to remove sediments and reserve about 6 cups.
- In another pot over medium heat, add butter. When it begins to melt, add the chopped onions and the remaining 2 cloves of garlic. Cook, stirring regularly, until limp. Add celery and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the reserved broth and bring to a boil. Add pasta and shredded chicken. Add evaporated milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat and continue to cook for about 7 to 8 minutes or until heated through.
- Ladle into bowls and top with eggs and green onions. Serve hot.
Food and Tools You Might Need for this Recipe (Disclaimer: Affiliate Links)
Barilla Elbow Pasta, 16 Ounce Boxes (Pack of 16)
T-fal A92280 Specialty Nonstick Stockpot Stock Pot, 12-Quart, Black
it should have been better if filipino recipes like this were using grams instead of ounces…
Hello, Mark,
I apologize for the inconvenience. I understand the metric system is used in the Philippines but I live in the U.S. and I am more used to cups and ounces in my cooking. I wanted to use the system I am most comfortable with. There are a lot of sites, however, you can use to easily convert from Imperial to Metric, if needed. 🙂
OK. So It’s been one full year and i am back on this recipe because i am cooking this tonight on New Year’s. We will be having this soup while listening to Mairi Campbell and dave Francis’ Auld Lang Syne. <3
What a beautiful (and delicious!) way to spend an evening 🙂
Hello, is the bay leaves fresh or dried? I’m planning to cook this soon & I was just wondering. Thank you 🙂
I like all your recipes, but I hate reading your intros. the cursive font makes them hard to read. So I don’t bother and go straight to your recipes.
Hi Josie
I am working on changing the font so please bear with me.
Here in the province, chicken sopas is also served on lenten season during ‘pabasa’. And tomorrow, we are going to cook this for breakfast for the death anniversary of my uncle. I will be in-charge of this, as requested, that is why I am keeping my fingers crossed. Whew! I need to ready my printout then. (~wink~) Btw, 10 cups (water?) Thanks!
Hi Joyce
Yes, 10 cups of water. I corrected the recipe, thanks 🙂
No you didn’t corrected it yet.
I need to have some of this before winter completely goes away, if only I can fix my schedule to do so. I need to cook it before January 2015 is over. It’s no fun serving this on a hot season.
Hi JRTG
Yes, this sopas is best served on cold, winter days. Hope you find the time to make it 🙂
This is insanely yummy to look at! Really perfect for rainy days <3 Awesome post by the way 😉
Thanks 🙂