Description
This Caribbean-Inspired Curry Chicken Soup combines tender chicken thighs simmered with aromatic spices, fresh vegetables, and comforting pearl couscous to create a hearty, flavorful dish. Infused with Jamaican-style curry powder, turmeric, and fresh herbs, this soup is a warming, nutritious meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, thinly sliced on a bias
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 8 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon curry powder, preferably Jamaican-style
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ – 2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts)
- 1 tablespoon fresh-grated ginger
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme, destemmed
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper – to taste
- 64 ounces (8 cups) chicken bone broth
Grains
- 1 ½ cups dried pearl couscous
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables and Spices: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and lightly golden, approximately 10-12 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. Sprinkle in the curry powder and ground turmeric, stirring to toast the spices with the vegetable mixture for about 1 minute.
- Add Chicken and Broth: Place the chicken thighs into the pot, stirring to combine with the spiced vegetables. Add fresh-grated ginger, bay leaf, fresh thyme sprigs, salt, and black pepper to taste. Pour in the chicken bone broth, fully covering the chicken. Stir well to mix all ingredients.
- Simmer Chicken: Cover the pot and bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Allow it to cook for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.
- Shred Chicken: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet. Shred the chicken finely using two forks, then return it to the soup pot and stir well to incorporate it into the broth.
- Cook Couscous: Add the dried pearl couscous to the pot and stir to combine. Cover the pot again and cook over medium-low heat for 9-10 minutes or until the couscous is tender and cooked through.
- Season and Serve: Remove the soup from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and taste. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired. Ladle the hot curry chicken soup into bowls and serve immediately. Enjoy your hearty Caribbean-inspired meal!
Notes
- Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs helps keep the meat tender and juicy; however, chicken breasts can be substituted for a leaner option.
- For an extra kick, you can add a diced Scotch bonnet pepper when sautéing the vegetables, but handle with care as they are very spicy.
- If pearl couscous is unavailable, regular small pasta or rice can be used as alternatives though cooking times will vary.
- Fresh thyme sprigs can be substituted with dried thyme (about 1 teaspoon), added with the spices.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- To make this dish gluten-free, replace pearl couscous with gluten-free grain or omit completely.
