Sopa de Tamal

This flavorful Mexican Chicken and Dumplings Soup, or Sopa de Tamal, draws inspiration from the comforting flavors of traditional tortilla soup. With a rich broth enhanced by bone-in chicken and masa dumplings seasoned with pork lard, this dish offers a delicious homage to the essence of tamales in soup form. Enjoy its hearty taste and warm, soothing texture.

Ingredients

🍗 3 chicken quarter legs
🥄 4 tbsp chicken bouillon
🧄 5 garlic cloves
🧅 1 onion
🌿 2 bay leaves
🌶️ 5 guajillo peppers
🌶️ 3 ancho peppers
🌶️ 5 chiles de arbol
🧂 Salt to taste

For the masa dumplings:
🌽 3 cups instant corn masa mix
🧂 2 tsp salt
🐖 1 cup melted pork lard
💧 4 cups warm water (or more, if needed)

Instructions

1- Prepare the Broth:

• In a large pot, place the chicken, 2 tbsp of chicken bouillon, 3 garlic cloves, half of the thin-sliced onion, and bay leaves. Cover with water and cook on medium heat for 25 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low, remove the chicken, and shred the meat, discarding bones and skin. Set aside.

2- Prepare the Pepper Mixture:

• Rinse the peppers. Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho peppers.
• Add these peppers to the pot along with the remaining onion and 2 garlic cloves. Cook for 10 minutes.
• Use a strainer spoon to remove the cooked ingredients from the pot, blend them until smooth, and return the mixture to the pot.

3- Complete the Soup:

• Fill the pot 3/4 full with additional water. Season with remaining chicken bouillon and salt to taste.
• Return the shredded chicken to the pot.

4- Make the Masa Dumplings:

• In a bowl, mix the instant masa mix, melted pork lard, and salt.
• Gradually add warm water until you achieve an easy-to-pipe consistency.
• Form dumplings by either spooning mixture into balls or piping with a plastic bag, using kitchen scissors to cut into small pieces.

5- Cook the Soup:

• Add the masa dumplings to the soup and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring gently to prevent sticking.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Servings: 6
Equipment: Large pot, blender, strainer spoon, piping or plastic bag, kitchen scissors

Cooking Tips:

• Using bone-in chicken enhances the broth's flavor.
• Adjust masa consistency with water as needed for versatile dumpling sizes.

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NoWayJoseCuisine
Sopa de Tamal