Okay, folks, let’s dive into my adventure of making Jamaican Chicken Soup. I’ve always loved a good, hearty soup, and I’ve heard this one packs a punch of flavor and warmth. So, I decided to give it a whirl.
First things first, I gathered my ingredients. Honestly, this was half the battle. I needed chicken (obviously!), pumpkin or squash – I went with butternut squash because that’s what my local store had – carrots, potatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, scallions, some allspice, and a Scotch bonnet pepper. Finding the Scotch bonnet was a bit of a mission, but I tracked one down at a Caribbean grocery store.
Next up, I prepped the chicken. I used chicken thighs because they’re juicier and more flavorful, in my opinion. I seasoned them with salt, pepper, and a little bit of the allspice. Then, I browned them in a big pot with a bit of oil. I made sure to get a nice sear on them – that adds extra flavor to the soup.
Once the chicken was browned, I took it out of the pot and set it aside. Then, I tossed in the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger. I let those cook for a few minutes until they were soft and fragrant. The smell was already amazing!
After that, I added the chopped carrots, potatoes, and butternut squash to the pot. I stirred everything together and let it cook for another few minutes. Then, I poured in enough chicken broth to cover all the vegetables. I also added the thyme sprigs, the allspice, and, very carefully, the whole Scotch bonnet pepper. I didn’t want to chop it because I didn’t want the soup to be too spicy – just a little kick.
I brought the soup to a boil, then reduced the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables were tender. Then, I added the chicken back into the pot and let it cook for another 10 minutes or so, until it was cooked through.
While that was simmering, I get the dumplins, I cooked some dumplings.
- 2 cups Flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed.
I added the dumplings into the soup and let it cook for 8 minutes
Finally, I removed the Scotch bonnet pepper and the thyme sprigs. I tasted the soup and adjusted the seasoning with a little more salt and pepper. Before serving, I stirred in some chopped scallions.
And that’s it! My first attempt at Jamaican Chicken Soup. It was hearty, flavorful, and had just the right amount of spice. It definitely warmed me up on a chilly evening. I’d say it was a success, and I’ll definitely be making it again!
