Equipment
Ingredients
soup base
- 1900 ml chicken stock, defatted
- 100 g onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, minced
- 75 g carrot, diced
- 350 g chickpeas, rinsed
- 5 g salt, to taste
additions
- 100 g zucchini, diced
- 1 chicken breast, poached and shredded
- 2 chipotle chile, rinsed, seeded, and cut into thin strips
- 6 g cilantro, chopped
garnish
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2 lime, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 329 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbohydrates
- 32 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 998 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 36 mg
- Potassium
- 773 mg
- Calcium
- 62 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 55 mg
- Phosphorus
- 243 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 154 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 28 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.22 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.39 mg
- Niacin
- 10.0 mg
- Folate
- 79 mcg
- Water
- 438 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the chicken stock, chopped onion, minced garlic, diced carrot, rinsed chickpeas, and salt in a large soup pot.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat (approximately 95°C/203°F).
Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
Add the diced zucchini to the soup pot.
Continue to simmer the soup for 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the shredded chicken, chipotle strips, and chopped cilantro.
Heat for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is warmed through (internal temperature 74°C/165°F).
Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with avocado slices and a lime wedge.
Chef's Notes
- For a richer flavor, use homemade chicken stock instead of store-bought. You can also add a smoked paprika or a pinch of cumin to the soup base for an extra layer of smoky depth.
- Ensure your chicken is fully cooked and cooled before shredding. This makes it easier to pull apart and ensures it won't overcook in the soup, keeping it tender.
- Don't overcook the zucchini. It should be tender-crisp, retaining some bite and its vibrant green color. Adding it in the last 10-15 minutes of simmering is ideal.
- Taste and adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) before serving. The saltiness can change as the soup simmers, and the lime juice added at the end will also affect the perception of salt.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store avocado separately to prevent browning.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze without avocado or lime garnish.
Reheating: Heat in a pot over medium heat until simmering.
Troubleshooting
Zucchini is mushy and lost its color.
Cause: The zucchini was added too early or cooked too long.
Fix: Cannot be fixed; monitor timing in future batches.
Prevention: Add zucchini only in the final 10-15 minutes of simmering.
The soup is excessively spicy.
Cause: Chipotle seeds and membranes were not fully removed.
Fix: Add more chicken stock or a dollop of sour cream (if dairy is okay) to dilute the heat.
Prevention: Thoroughly rinse and seed the chipotle chiles before slicing.
Cultural Context
This Mexican chicken and chickpea soup draws inspiration from the hearty, flavorful broths common in Mexican home cooking. Often served as a comforting meal, variations can be found throughout different regions, with some incorporating more spice or different vegetables.
