Name: Mexican chicken soup with charred baby corn
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 red onion (finely chopped); 2 carrots (peeled and finely chopped); 1 red pepper (de-seeded and finely chopped); 1 yellow pepper (de-seeded and finely chopped); 250 g mushrooms ( finely chopped (approximately 2 cups)); 4 garlic cloves (crushed); 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes; 400 g chopped tomatoes (approximately 14oz can); 1 teaspoon sugar; 3 cups chicken stock; 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded); 10 ears of baby corn (char grilled and sliced); salt & pepper to taste; lemon juice (to taste); 10 ears baby corn; 1 tablespoon olive oil; salt (to taste); sliced avocado; fresh parsley/coriander; sliced jalapeños; chopped spring onion

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Aromatic Mexican chicken soup with sweet, charred baby corn makes for a showstopping meal when served with fresh jalapeños and avocado.

Ok disclaimer time: This soup is probably not at all Mexican but listen, adding all those delicious spices and then topping it with avocado made it taste quite a lot like delicious chicken tacos in soup form so I’m going with it. Anyway, no matter what this is called, it’s probably the most delicious soup I’ve ever made. In fact, I’m surprised I haven’t posted this recipe before now because I’m not lying to you, I’ve made this recipe weekly since last May.

I first made it because I had some rotisserie chicken left over and knew chicken soup would be the best way to stretch it into another meal. I pretty much emptied the fridge and used peppers, mushrooms, onions, garlic etc. and made a very tomatoey (that’s a word!) broth. Since then, I’ve played with the recipe and tweaked it but the kids and C know that they’re guaranteed to have this soup at regular intervals.

What I love most about this soup is that it’s really easy to adjust according to what you have in the house. I’ve added courgette (zucchini), beans (although my kids aren’t big fans), frozen corn, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and chunks of sweet potato. You can literally use any vegetable you have that needs using. You can even leave out the chicken and make a fantastic vegan soup since there’s also no dairy involved.

I really love using left-over roast chicken though. The trick is to only add it right at the end to heat through because that way it keeps its succulence. To enrich the soup, I use chicken stock I make every time we’ve had a roast chicken and that gelatinous, richness of homemade chicken stock really enhances the soup however good quality shop-bought stock or stock concentrate will work well too.

For this version I couldn’t find beautiful big ears of corn (summer is over, after all) but found lovely little minis and decided to char grill them to enhance their flavour and add smokiness to the finished soup. I also topped the soup with slices of avocado which, to be honest, I was skeptical about since I really, REALLY don’t like warm avocado.

However, in this soup it just adds lovely creaminess which is welcome since the broth is so intensely tomatoey, chickeny, spicy. When it comes to serving the soup, chunky bread, quickly grilled is absolutely delicious but if you’re cooking this for friends or family and want to wow them a little, may I suggest making very simple cheese quesidillas, giving them a quick grill in a griddle pan and serving them alongside the soup? I promise you, it’s worth the little bit of effort and your guests will think you are a kitchen god/goddess. Guaranteed.

How do you make Mexican chicken soup?

Sauté onions, carrots, celery, peppers and garlic until soft and aromatic then add the remaining vegetables and allow to soften. Add stock, tomatoes and seasoning then allow to simmer until all the vegetables are cooked. Add shredded cooked chicken and allow to warm through then serve topped with charred baby corn and sliced avocado.

What vegetables can you put in chicken soup?

Soup is a great way to use up any leftover vegetable you have that need using.

Onion, celery, carrots and garlic are a great base for any soup.
Mushrooms
Peppers
Peas
Corn
Potatoes, sweet potatoes or pumpkin
Broccoli, cauliflower or kale.

What spices are good in chicken soup?

Depending on how spicy you want the soup to be, herbs like thyme, sage, bay leaves, rosemary and parsley work well. Spices like cumin, coriander, paprika and chili powder add warmth and lots of extra flavor.