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Sopa seca chinchana
Spaghetti in basil chicken broth
Sopa seca chinchana: Chincha's 'dry soup' of spaghetti cooked in a basil, ají panca and chicken broth
PeruvianDespite the name, there is no soup in a bowl: sopa seca is spaghetti cooked like a risotto in a well-seasoned chicken broth with basil, ají panca and tomato until every drop is absorbed and the noodles turn reddish-green and fragrant. In Chincha and Ica it always arrives on the same plate as carapulcra, the two together forming the famous festive 'matrimonio', with a chicken thigh on top. Expect soft, very savoury pasta with a mild warmth from the chilli. Where it goes wrong is pouring in all the broth at once, which leaves the pasta swimming and mushy; add it in stages, as for risotto. Chef's tip: blend the basil with a little oil and stir it in only in the last minutes, so it stays green instead of turning brown.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chicken and broth
- 6 chicken thighsbone in, skin on (about 900 g)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 red onionfinely chopped
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 tbsp ají panca paste
- 1 tbsp ají amarillo paste
- 2 tomatoesgrated, skins discarded
- ½ tsp achiote (annatto) powderor sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 5 ¾ cups chicken stockhot
For the pasta
- 14 oz spaghettibroken in half
- 1 ⅜ oz fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
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What you'll need
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Season 6 chicken thighs with 1 ½ tsp salt. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide, deep pan over a medium-high heat and brown the thighs skin side down until golden. Lift out.
8 minStep 2: Fry 1 red onion and 4 garlic cloves in the same pan over a medium heat until soft.
6 minStep 3: Add 2 tbsp ají panca paste, 1 tbsp ají amarillo paste, 2 tomatoes, ½ tsp achiote (annatto) powder and ½ tsp ground cumin and cook, stirring, until thick and the oil separates.
6 minStep 4: Return the chicken, add half of 3 cups chicken stock, cover and simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F next to the bone. Lift it out and keep warm.
25 minStep 5: Add 14 oz spaghetti to the simmering broth and stir so it doesn't clump. Cook uncovered over a medium heat, adding the rest of 3 cups chicken stock a ladle at a time as it is absorbed.
12 minStep 6: Blend 1 ⅜ oz fresh basil leaves with 2 tbsp olive oil and a splash of broth to a smooth green paste.
Step 7: When the pasta is tender and almost all the liquid has gone, stir in the basil paste and cook for 2 more minutes, until the pasta is glossy and there is no free liquid.
2 minStep 8: Serve the sopa seca with a chicken thigh on top, alongside carapulcra if you made it.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sopa seca chinchana take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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