Chicken in Red Chile-Tomato Broth
Chilpachole de Pollo y ChayoteThis soup of rich red chile broth with generous chunks of chicken and (a pear-shaped squash that is used similarly to summer squash), can make a meal when eaten with warm corn tortillas, to dip into the flavorful soup. Fresh lime juice is always added just before eating.
Ingredients
Makes 4 to 6 servings
- 6 cups canned fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1 medium chayote peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 8 guajillo chiles toasted and seeded
- 4 ancho chiles toasted and seeded
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 corn tortilla quartered
- ½ medium white onion chopped
- 4 plum tomatoes halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon chopped epazote leaves or 1 teaspoon dried epazote
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano Mexican variety preferred, crumbled
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Put the chicken broth in a large saucepan.
- Trim excess fat from the chicken, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Add the chicken and the chayote to the broth.
- Add half of the garlic and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the chicken and chayote are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Reserve in the pan off heat.
- Meanwhile prepare the chiles.
- Then, soak them in a bowl of hot water, 20 minutes.
- While the chiles soak, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and fry the tortilla quarters until crisp and lightly browned on both sides.
- Transfer to a blender.
- In the same skillet, fry the onion stirring, 1 minute.
- Add the remaining garlic, stirring, until onions and garlic start to brown about 3 minutes.
- Add the remaining salt.
- Transfer to the blender.
- In the same skillet, cook the tomatoes on both sides until soft and the skins are charred in spots, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to the blender.
- Drain the chiles, discarding the water, and add the chiles to the blender.
- Add 1 cup of the chicken broth from cooking the chicken.
- Blend as smoothly as possible.
- (Blend in batches, if necessary.
- )
- Pour the chile purée through a strainer into the pan with the broth and chicken, pressing to extract most of the solids and juices.
- Discard the debris.
- Add the epazote and oregano to the broth.
- Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Adjust seasoning.
- Serve hot with lime wedges.
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