Rick Bayless’ Caldo de pollo ranchero (Ranch-Style Chicken Soup)

By LaLaCooks

Ingredients

• One 5-pound roasting chicken, cut up (into thighs, wings, breasts, and back)
• Kosher salt
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon EACH dried marjoram and thyme
• 1 pound (2 medium-large round or 6 to 8 plum) ripe but firm tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 sprigs fresh mint
• 2 to 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 8 small (about 1 pound) boiling potatoes (such as red-skins), scrubbed and halved
• 2 large ears corn, husked and cut across the cob into 1-inch sections
• 1 cup trimmed green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and steamed until barely tender (optional)
• 3 to 4 fresh jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro [obviously not using this in my soup, cause I'm not a cilantro fan]
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from thegluttonousjd.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. The chicken and basic broth:  Measure 4 quarter of water into a soup pot (an 8-quart pot works best here).  Add the chicken back, neck and wings along with 2 teaspoons salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.  Skim off the grayish foam that rise during the next couple of minutes.  Add the garlic, half of the onion, the bay leaves, majoram and thyme and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 1 hour.  Add the legs and thights and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the breast pieces.  When the broth returns to a simmer, cover the pot and turn off the heat.  Let stand for 30 minutes.

2.  Cooking the vegetables:  Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the mint, carrots and potatoes.  Partially cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but firm.  Taste the soup and season it with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon.

3.  Finishing and serving the soup:  Just before you’re ready to serve, add the corn and cooked chicken to the pot.  Simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes to warm everything though, and you’re ready to serve.  Ladle a portion of the soup into each of six warm large wide soup bowls, making sure each has 1 or 2 pieces of chicken and a little of each vegetable.  Scoop the remaining onion into a small bowl and set on a table along with bowls of the chopped chiles, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges, for guests to sprinkle on or squeeze in to their liking.  Guests will need a knife and fork for the chicken.

Working Ahead:  You can prepare the broth and chicken a day ahead or so.  Refrigerate the broth and chicken pieces separately.  (It’ll be easier to degrease the broth if you chill it).  Flavoring the broth and finishing the soup should be done shortly before serving.