Sopa de Pollo y Plátano Verde (Chicken and Green Plantain Soup)

It’s soup weather and I want to share one of my favorites, Sopa de Pollo y Plátano Verde (Chicken and Green Plantain Soup). It tastes delicious, it’s well balanced, comforting and warming. I find the flavors perfect for this time of year.

I first made this soup a couple of years ago when craving a Colombian chicken soup called sancocho de pollo. I didn’t have all the necessary ingredients in the house to make sancocho de pollo, so I made this Sopa de Pollo y Plátano Verde instead. While the soup alone is more than enough to satisfy my hunger, I usually serve it with avocado on the side.

If you’re looking for a hearty and simple soup, that can also be made in advance and reheated just before serving, this one’s for you.

Buen provecho!

Ingredients

(4 to 6 servings)

• 2 large chicken breasts, bone in
• About 10 cups of chicken stock or broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 cup of onion, diced
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup of corn kernels, frozen or fresh
• 2 green plantains, peeled and cut into chunks
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the chicken in a large pot with the cumin, salt, pepper, and the water. Place the garlic, onions and scallions in a blender with 1/4 cup of water and blend. Add this mixture to the pot.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
3. Add half of the cilantro, corn and plantains. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 30 minutes more or until the plantains are tender.
4. Remove the chicken from the pot, de-bone it, breaking the meat into bite sized pieces, and return the meat to the soup. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve warm.